Germany launches raids across 60 cities, bans radical group for Islamic State recruiting
The Washington Post/November 15, 2016
By Anthony Faiola
Berlin — German police in 60 cities staged sweeping raids early Tuesday targeting the Islamist group True Religion on accusations of recruiting for the Islamic State, as authorities intensified a large scale crackdown against religious extremists.
The Germans have launched hundreds of raids in recent months as they grapple with a heightened threat of terror following a spate of attacks in Germany and neighboring countries as well as elevated fears of homegrown radicalization.
Police searched 190 mosques, apartments and offices connected to the Salafist, or ultraconservative, Muslim organization that is ubiquitous in Germany with its members setting up highly-visible welcome tables on busy streets. The group — also known by the name Read! — distributes translated copies of the Koran for free and attempts to spread the faith.
But what on the surface seemed like a legitimate religious organization was also a recruiting operation for the radical Islamic State group, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said Tuesday after the raids began. He added that 140 people affiliated with the group had gone on to fight in Syria.
De Maizière announced that the group would now be officially banned in Germany for inciting hate and spreading extremism. “Today's measure is a clear signal, we are taking decisive and comprehensive action against all efforts directed against our freedom and our fundamental values,” he said.
The sweeping move came as Germany has been expanding its counterterror operations, including the arrest last week of five men who allegedly raised money and aided in the recruitment of fighters for the Islamic State.
On Tuesday, de Maizière sought to make clear that the Germans were not targeting freedom of religion.
“Today's ban does not target the promotion, practice or propagation of the Islamic faith in general. Muslim life has a permanent and secure place in Germany and in our society.”
In the raids, police carted away documents and computers. The operation was aimed at seizing evidence to back up the ban, and no arrests were immediately made, officials said.
The Palestinian-born Ibrahim Abou-Nagie leads the True Religion group, founded in 2005. German media outlets reported that the organization has distributed about 3.5 million copies of the Koran in German city centers.
But German security officials charge the group with using the Koran campaign as a cover-up for a several hundred member strong network promoting radical islamist ideology. Abou-Nagie has previously been charged with incitement. But thus far, his only conviction is for fraud relating more than 50,000 euros worth of illegally received social benefits. He served a 13-months suspended sentence.
The Facebook page and the website of the True Religion group were down on Tuesday. But via Twitter, it condemned the raids , saying: “Dear brothers and sisters, the Quran has been banned in Germany. We brought Allah's message to everyone. Allah u Akbar.”
Later, they tweeted a link to what appeared to be the Facebook page of the group's UK branch.
In a statement, Peter Beuth, Interior Minister in the state of Hesse, said: “We do not tolerate any fanatics in our city centers who are trying to radicalize young people and send them on jihad.”
Stephanie Kirchner contributed to this report.
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