Almost two months ago, the authorities banned the Islamic Center in Hamburg. Now the next organization is following suit. Raids are taking place in Brandenburg and Berlin.
The Islamic Center Fürstenwalde al-Salam e. V. (IZF) in Brandenburg has been banned. The ministry justified the move by saying that the association is part of the spectrum of the Muslim Brotherhood and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas. “We cannot tolerate associations that are directed against the constitutional order or the idea of international understanding,” explained Minister Michael Stübgen. “The embers of the Stone Age culture of Islamism must be nipped in the bud to prevent a conflagration,” he added.
Police searches will take place on Thursday in the club’s premises in Fürstenwalde in the Oder-Spree district as well as in private homes in Brandenburg and Berlin.
In July 2023, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Brandenburg classified the association as definitely extremist. The reason for this was “clear references to Islamic extremist organizations,” especially in the posts on social networks. According to the report, the association spread content from organizations that are close to the Muslim Brotherhood of the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Anti-Israel and anti-Semitic content that questions Israel’s right to exist was also published on the channels.
Interior Minister: Islamic center radicalizes young people
The IZF was founded in Fürstenwalde in 2018, runs the “al-Salam” mosque on site and, in addition to Friday prayers, offers leisure and educational opportunities for Muslims in the region. Islamist views are also conveyed there, according to the Brandenburg Interior Ministry. “In particular, the indoctrination of young people with extremist ideas in an organized manner poses risks that we do not accept,” said Interior Minister Stübgen, according to the statement.
Young people do not become extremists “in a vacuum”. Behind this there are always “perfidious radicalisation strategies of extremist organisations”. “This evil must be tackled at its roots. (…) We also owe this to those Muslims who live righteously among us and once fled from Islamists,” said Brandenburg’s Interior Minister.
Ban on IZH in Hamburg – diplomatic tensions with Iran
It is the second time in a matter of months that an Islamic center has been banned. At the end of July, the authorities banned the IZH in Hamburg, which Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) had described as “an important Iranian propaganda center in Europe.” Five sub-organizations of the IZH were also banned, and all assets and facilities were confiscated in a nationwide raid. Since then, the Blue Mosque on Hamburg’s Outer Alster, which is operated by the IZH, has also been closed.
The ban has since put a strain on diplomatic relations between Berlin and Tehran. Iran’s government then summoned the German ambassador and closed the German Language Institute (DSIT) in the capital Tehran three weeks ago.
Note: This post has been updated.
Source: Stern
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