In 1999 the German Social Democratic Party ( SPD ) nominated the politically unaffiliated scholar Hoffman-Riem as judge of the Federal Constitutional Court , and he was subsequently elected by the Bundesrat . His scope of responsibility encompassed , inter alia , freedom of speech , freedom of the press , freedom of assembly , general protection of privacy , protection of personal information , and competition law . In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11 , 2001 , he authored a series of decisions that gave rise to spirited public debate , including those on freedom of assembly and the relationship between freedom and security ( for example , decisions on sweeping wiretapping powers " Großen Lauschangriff " , wiretapping using foreign trade law or general police regulations , profiling , online searches , automated recording of car license plates , and data retention . ) While recognizing the need for the state to ensure public safety , the Constitutional Court held that guarantees afforded by the rule of law may not be ignored and governmental power must be limited , and even in the face of perceived threats , it is paramount that the principles of proportionality and certainty in the application of law be respected and procedural safeguards be maintained . In these decisions ( for example , in the ruling dealing with online searches ) , the Constitutional Court dealt extensively with developments in current technology that have long been the subject of Hoffmann-Riem 's research
terrorist attacks on September 11 , 2001
September 11 attacks
Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem