Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution 联邦宪法保卫局

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (German:Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV)) is the Federal Republic of Germany's domestic security agency. Together with the Landesämter für Verfassungsschutz (LfV) at the state level, it is tasked with intelligence-gathering on threats concerning the democratic order, the existence and security of the federation or one of its states, and the peaceful coexistence of peoples; with counter-intelligence; and with protective security and counter-sabotage. The BfV reports to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. From 2000 to July 2012, Heinz Fromm (SPD) served as its president until his resignation in the wake of a scandal regarding the destruction of files related to the National Socialist Underground, a Neo-Nazi terror group. Since 1 August 2012, the agency has been headed by Hans-Georg Maaßen.