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German Federal States — News — Schwerin — Germany — Extremism — Islamic Center Hamburg — club ban — Mosque Association — Hamburg — René Domke — Iran — Enforcement — Nancy Faeser — Berlin — Greifswald — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern — Raids — FDP — Christian Pegel — Administrative Court — PDP — Europe — Constitutional Protection

Islamic Center Hamburg banned - Raid also in MV

For a long time, there have been speculations about a possible ban of the Islamic Center Hamburg and its branches in other federal states. Public officials were even involved in implementing the ban in MV.

,   and  Viktoria Klein
3 min read
Covered policemen are standing at a building where the Islamic Center Berlin is located.
Covered policemen are standing at a building where the Islamic Center Berlin is located.

Extremist Islamic Association - Islamic Center Hamburg banned - Raid also in MV

At the execution of the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) by the Hamburg Senate, according to the Interior Ministry in Schwerin, members of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Criminal Police were also involved. Seven officers searched objects on the orders of the Administrative Court of Greifswald in the Hanseatic City. The ministry did not provide information on the affected buildings or on the results of the measures.

Islamic Center as Propaganda Center of Iran

According to the Constitutional Protection Agency, the Islamic Center Hamburg is considered a "significant propaganda center of Iran in Europe." Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) banned the nationwide active association accordingly. The implementation of the prohibition order, which also affects five affiliated organizations, was carried out by police in the early morning at the IZH with the Imam Ali Mosque and other buildings in a total of eight federal states. For years, there have been calls for the closure of the IZH.

The Center propagates the ideology of the so-called "Islamic Revolution" in Germany as a direct representation of the Iranian "Revolutionary Leader," according to a statement from the Federal Interior Ministry. "It is important to me to clearly distinguish: We are not acting against a religion," Faeser emphasized. Peaceful Shia religious and belief practices are not affected by the ban. In Germany, there are estimated to be around 150 to 200 Shia communities.

Approximately 200 Islamists in MV

As Landes-Interior Minister Christian Pegel (SPD) stated at the presentation of the Constitutional Protection Report for 2023 in early July, around 180 persons in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are classified as Islamists and Islamic terrorism. The number has fluctuated between 170 and 200 for years. No fixed structures are discernible in the northeast; instead, it is mostly about individual persons who belong to the so-called Salafists. The main goal of the security authorities remains to recognize and prevent An attack plans as early as possible, Pegel said.

FDP demands effective protection

FDP Landtags fraction leader René Domke accused the Interior Minister of downplaying the threat of Islamic extremism. "The recently carried out raids, during which objects in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern were also searched, clearly show that this threat cannot be underestimated," Domke said. He demanded from the state government a clear commitment to comprehensive and effective measures against Islamic extremism and transparent information for the public about the current threat situations and the measures taken. The FDP will continue to push for "ensuring that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the field of Islamism is better staffed and equipped," Domke announced.

  1. The ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg was executed in various federal states across Germany, including Schwerin located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
  2. The Islamic Center Hamburg, a significant propaganda center of Iran in Europe, has faced criticism for promoting the ideology of the Iranian "Revolutionary Leader" and the "Islamic Revolution."
  3. René Domke from the FDP criticized the Interior Minister for downplaying the threat of Islamic extremism, citing the recent raids conducted in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
  4. According to Christian Pegel, the Landes-Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, around 180 individuals in the region are classified as Islamists and associated with Islamic terrorism.
  5. The enforcement of the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg and its affiliated organizations was carried out by police in various states, including Hamburg, where the Islamic Center and other buildings are located.
  6. The ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg and its affiliated organizations affects numerous communities across Europe, including those in Germany and neighboring countries.
  7. The Administrative Court in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, issued orders for the searches conducted by police during the execution of the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg.
  8. The Federal Interior Ministry emphasized that the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg is not targeted at peaceful Shia religious and belief practices, but rather at its promotion of Iranian propaganda and extremist ideologies.
  9. The FDP, along with other political parties, has called for stronger measures to combat Islamic extremism and better staffing and equipping of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the field of Islamism.
  10. The Constitutional Protection Agency has classified the Islamic Center Hamburg as a significant propaganda center of Iran in Europe, and the ban on the center and its affiliated organizations was enforced in response to these concerns.

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