Berlin insists action against Islamic Center Hamburg not linked to ‘peaceful practice of the Shiite religion’.
Germany has outlawed a Muslim religious organisation it accuses of propagating “extremism” and supporting Iran and Hezbollah.
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community announced the ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and its national affiliates on Wednesday, calling its mission “anti-constitutional”.
“Today, we banned [IZH], which promotes an Islamist-extremist, totalitarian ideology in Germany,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.
“This Islamist ideology is opposed to human dignity, women’s rights, an independent judiciary and our democratic government.”
She claimed the group and its “sub-organisations” support Hezbollah and “spread aggressive antisemitism”. Germany outlawed the armed Lebanese group in 2020, designating it as a “terrorist” organisation.
Her ministry also alleged the group acts “as the direct representative of Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader’,” and works in the interests of establishing an Islamic revolution in Germany “outside of the free and democratic constitutional system”.
The ban comes after German authorities raided 55 properties linked to the group last November, during which police seized material that “undoubtedly” showed the group was operating in a “highly conspiratorial manner”, and trying to conceal its political aims.
However, the ministry did not describe the evidence collected.
Due to the ban, four Shia Muslim mosques in Germany will be shuttered, while IZH’s assets have been confiscated.
Faeser stressed that the group was not targeted on religious grounds and that Shia Muslims are free to practice their faith.
“We are drawing a clear distinction between the Islamist extremists that we are cracking down on and the many Muslims who belong to our country and live according to their faith,” she said.
“This ban absolutely does not apply to the peaceful practice of the Shiite [Shia] religion.”
The IZH, which runs a mosque in Hamburg, has long been under observation by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
The group said ahead of last year’s raids that it “condemns every form of violence and extremism and has always advocated peace, tolerance and interreligious dialogue”.
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