The German Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, passed legislation on Thursday making terrorist activity – even with no clear intent to carry out an attack – punishable by up to ten years in prison.

The new law gives officials more authority to prosecute crimes that are thought to endanger Germany.

Any involvement with suspected terrorist groups, including contacting them, preparing for a terror attack by collecting money, financing terrorist activities, gathering bomb materials, spending time in a terrorist training camp or publishing bomb-building instructions will now be illegal.

(via Berlin passes new anti-terrorism laws – The Local)

There also seems to be some confusion if even downloading or reading bomb-building instructions is illegal as well now. I might be too cynical, but I’m reminded of the concept of “thought crimes”.