Germans raid homes in Islamic terror link
Source: Agencies |
December 15, 2010, Wednesday
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GERMAN authorities yesterday raided homes and religious schools connected to two radical Islamist groups with suspected terrorist links, the Interior Ministry said.
The raids, in the western cities of Moenchengladbach, Braunschweig and Bremen, were aimed at Salafist groups Invitation to Paradise and Islamic Culture Center Bremen, ministry spokesman Stefan Paris said in a statement.
The two are suspected of "wanting to create an Islamic theocracy and working against the democratic order of Germany," he added.
"It is necessary and important not to wait for a militant struggle in the form of jihad before intervening against unconstitutional groups."
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said dozens of private homes were searched, as well as religious schools, a publishing house and a store belonging to Invitation to Paradise that sells face-covering veils for women and caftans for men.
A local group leader for Invitation to Paradise in Moenchengladbach condemned the raids and said police had taken computers, cell phones, books and receipts during their searches. "We're sad about this raid, we haven't done anything illegal," Sven Lau said in a phone interview.
The searches are part of a long-term strategy to ban the two groups, which work closely together and share the same Salafist ideology, the security official said. Salafism has often been linked to terror plots and seeks to revive strict Muslim doctrine dating back to the era of the 6th century Prophet Muhammad.
Intelligence services say they have been watching the groups for several years. They have regularly featured in annual reports.
The raids, in the western cities of Moenchengladbach, Braunschweig and Bremen, were aimed at Salafist groups Invitation to Paradise and Islamic Culture Center Bremen, ministry spokesman Stefan Paris said in a statement.
The two are suspected of "wanting to create an Islamic theocracy and working against the democratic order of Germany," he added.
"It is necessary and important not to wait for a militant struggle in the form of jihad before intervening against unconstitutional groups."
A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said dozens of private homes were searched, as well as religious schools, a publishing house and a store belonging to Invitation to Paradise that sells face-covering veils for women and caftans for men.
A local group leader for Invitation to Paradise in Moenchengladbach condemned the raids and said police had taken computers, cell phones, books and receipts during their searches. "We're sad about this raid, we haven't done anything illegal," Sven Lau said in a phone interview.
The searches are part of a long-term strategy to ban the two groups, which work closely together and share the same Salafist ideology, the security official said. Salafism has often been linked to terror plots and seeks to revive strict Muslim doctrine dating back to the era of the 6th century Prophet Muhammad.
Intelligence services say they have been watching the groups for several years. They have regularly featured in annual reports.
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