Germany bans extremist group, crackdown follows

Around 190 mosques, flats, offices raided

BERLIN: Police launched dawn raids across Germany on Tuesday on about 190 mosques, flats and offices linked to an extremist group after the government banned the organisation, accusing it of radicalising youngsters.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the DWR ‘True Religion’ group had persuaded about 140 people to join militants in Iraq and Syria. DWR made no reference to the raids on its website and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

De Maiziere said it had several hundred members. He said Tuesday’s raids in 10 German states were the biggest crackdown on any group since the government shut down a movement known as Kalifatstaat (caliphate state) in 2001, accusing it of extremist activities.

“Today’s ban is rather directed against the abuse of religion by people propagating extremist ideologies and supporting terrorist organisations under the pretext of Islam.”

A spokeswoman for the interior ministry said there was no indication that DWR was planning attacks itself.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2016.