Extremist Islamic Association - Raid at the Islamic Center Berlin
In connection with the ban of the Islamic Center Hamburg and its affiliated organizations, the police searched four objects early in the morning in Berlin. This included the Islamic Center Berlin in Berlin-Tempelhof and three apartments, as a spokeswoman of the Interior Administration announced. Several dozen officers were involved in the operation.
"Today's measures show that persistent attacks on our central principles such as democracy and the rule of law will not be tolerated", declared Senator for the Interior Iris Spranger (SPD). "Furthermore, I reiterate that hate and incitement against Jews, Jewish women and Israeli citizens in Berlin are not tolerated. The demand for a respectful coexistence of every person's dignity can never be emphasized enough."
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) banned the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and its affiliated organizations because, according to her ministry's assessment, they propagated the establishment of an authoritarian-Islamic rule. A total of 53 objects were searched in the morning in Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria, as the Federal Interior Ministry announced.
- The German Press Agency reported that the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg and its sub-organizations sparked concerns among some German political parties, expressing concerns about constitutional protection and potential harm to religious freedom.
- The raids in Berlin were part of a larger operation, with 53 objects in total being searched across several German states, including Hamburg, Berlin, and Bavaria, according to the German Federal Interior Ministry.
- Extremist groups were suspected of having ties to the Islamic Center Hamburg, leading to concerns in Germany about the promotion of extremist ideologies and potential threats to German society.
- In response to the ban and raids, Iran's foreign ministry issued a statement condemning Germany's actions and expressing concern for the rights of the Muslim community in the country.
- Some critics argue that the raids and ban infringe on basic freedoms and may contribute to a proliferation of extremism instead of reducing it, as it fosters a sense of marginalization and resentment among certain individuals and communities.
- The police in Hamburg also raided the Islamic Center Hamburg's main headquarters and several affiliated organizations, seizing documents and other materials for further investigation into the group's activities and potential links to extremist ideologies.
