In Germany, authorities ban an “Islamist organization” suspected of being affiliated with Hezbollah

The Islamic Center of Hamburg, a Muslim faith association that owns a mosque in the German city, has been under investigation for several months over its alleged support for the pro-Iranian Lebanese movement Hezbollah. The German Interior Ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday, July 24, the banning of the association and its “its affiliated organizations throughout Germany”.

The Islamic Center is described by German authorities as “an extremist, Islamist organization pursuing unconstitutional objectives”. Of the “searches” were carried out on Wednesday morning in “53” properties belonging to it throughout Germany. This organization spreads an extremist ideology “directed against human dignity, against women’s rights, against independent justice and against our democratic state”, denounced Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, quoted in the press release.

Furthermore, it supports, together with these affiliated organizations, “Hezbollah terrorists and spread aggressive anti-Semitism”the minister added. Large-scale searches were also carried out against the targeted structures in November 2023. The seized equipment made it possible to “confirm suspicions“German authorities,” the minister further explained. The Center “wants to give the impression of being a tolerant and purely religious institution, without any political project or link. In reality, the investigation clearly shows that[il] “does not only act on the religious level”writes the Interior Ministry.