Why is the Islamic Center of Hamburg banned
The Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and several associated organizations have been ordered to cease their activities. Nationwide, 54 objects were searched. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser explained the reasons for her decision to ban the Hamburg Mosque Association and other Shia-Iranian Islamic organizations. Key questions and answers:
What is the reason for the ban?
The IZH is assessed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a Shia-Islamist association. Therefore, its purpose is to propagate Islamic teachings in line with the religious understanding of the Iranian leadership. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution considers the IZH, along with the Iranian embassy, to be "the most important representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Germany".
In November 2022, the Bundestag urged the federal government to investigate "whether and how the Islamic Center Hamburg can be closed as a hub of operations by the Iranian regime in Germany".
Vereins are banned when their purposes or activities conflict with criminal laws, contradict the spirit of international understanding, or violate the constitutional order. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, all three reasons apply to the IZH.
Why was the decision made now?
Separating religious practice from extremist activities in a religious association is not easy. Mosque associations are rarely banned. An example is the Berlin Fussilet Mosque, which was closed in 2017. It was known as a meeting place for Sunni extremists. The later Berlin Christmas market attacker Anis Amri frequented this mosque.
On November 16, 2023, the Imam-Ali Mosque in Hamburg and five other organizations were searched. Seized material was used to make the decision.
The timing could also be related to the escalation of the Middle East conflict, in which the Iranian leadership has taken a verbal and arms supply stance against Israel. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution wrote in its 2023 report: "Within Shia-extremist circles, a clear anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli attitude is often discernible, which is also propagated in various media channels."
What functions does the IZH perform?
The IZH and the Blue Mosque on the Alster, operated by Shia Muslims of various nationalities, serves as a central religious point of contact. Regular prayer events and many religious festivals have taken place there for decades. In addition, various teaching activities are offered there - for example, Islamic religious instruction for children and instruction in the languages Arabic, Farsi, and German.
Who are the key representatives of the association?
Since August 2018, Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh has been the leader of the IZH. According to the Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution, he is considered a representative of the current regime leader in Europe. In the latest Hamburg report on the Protection of the Constitution, it is stated about him: "Mofatteh is a well-educated representative of the current regime in Tehran. His family is deeply connected to the state-religious elite in Iran". He is reporting-bound and obedient to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei.
At the end of 2022, the deputy leader of the IZH, Seyed Mousavifar, was expelled from Germany due to connections to the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Previously, his appeal against the expulsion before the Hamburg Administrative Court in the second instance had failed. The pro-Iranian terrorist organization has been banned in Germany since 2020.
What is happening now with the seized association's assets?
The association's assets will, once the ban becomes legally binding, pass into the possession of the Federal Government. However, the question of what the German state intends to do with a representative Islamic sacred building is not entirely straightforward.
In the Hamburg Senate, which had called for the closure of the IZH, there have already been calls for the mosque to be used as a place of worship for Shia Muslims. However, the influence of Tehran on the establishment must be excluded.
How many followers does the IZH have in Germany?
The Constitutional Protection Agency has not made any definitive statements on this matter. Not everyone who attends an event or prays in the Blue Mosque is necessarily a member of the association. Furthermore, many people of Iranian origin living in Germany are determined opponents of Islamic ideology.
- Following the search of 54 objects nationwide, the German authorities have ordered the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and its associated organizations to halt their activities due to their assessment as Shia-Islamist associations promoting teachings aligned with the Iranian leadership's religious understanding.
- According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the ban on the Hamburg Mosque Association and other Shia-Iranian Islamic organizations was prompted by their purposes or activities conflicting with criminal laws, contradicting international understanding, or violating the constitutional order.
- The timing of the ban may also be linked to the escalation of the Middle East conflict, with the Iranian leadership taking a hostile stance against Israel in both words and arms supply.
- The search on November 16, 2023, of the Imam-Ali Mosque in Hamburg and five other organizations resulted in seized material that contributed to making the decision to ban the mentioned organizations.
- In response to the ban, there have been calls from the Hamburg Senate for the mosque to continue to serve as a place of worship for Shia Muslims, but the influence of Tehran must be excluded from its establishment.
