Germany's Bundestag has approved amendments to the Federal Police Act granting broader powers to the Federal Police in efforts to combat what authorities describe as extremism and migrant smuggling.

The amendments revise the Federal Police Act, originally enacted in 1994, and expand the legal powers available to federal law enforcement authorities in several areas.

Under the new legislation, the Federal Police will be granted wider investigative powers to tackle cases related to extremism and migrant smuggling.

The law also authorises the Federal Police, under specific legal conditions, to carry out telecommunications surveillance as part of criminal investigations.

The legislation further allows the Federal Police to request detention pending deportation or custody for foreign nationals who are subject to final deportation orders and are apprehended within the force's jurisdiction.

The new law also permits random checks at railway stations and aboard trains in areas where carrying weapons and knives is prohibited, without requiring specific suspicion or justification.

The German government says the measures are intended to strengthen public security, improve border protection and enhance the Federal Police's ability to combat organised crime and irregular migration.

The legislation was approved by the Bundestag and will enter into force after completing the remaining legislative procedures and being published in the Federal Law Gazette. (ILKHA)