FRANKFURT,— Germany’s Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that it has officially banned the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) and its affiliated groups, citing their radical Islamist agenda.
In a coordinated operation, authorities conducted searches of 53 properties linked to the IZH across eight German states early Wednesday morning, following a court order.
The action resulted in the closure of the Hamburg-based IZH and its associated groups located in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin. Consequently, four Shiite mosques affiliated with the IZH will also be shut down.
The IZH, which operates one of Germany’s oldest mosques known for its distinct turquoise facade, was unreachable for comment by phone, and its website was down.
The ban follows evidence obtained from a previous raid in November, which involved 55 properties. This evidence formed the basis for the Interior Ministry’s decision to ban the IZH, officially referred to as Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated, “Today, we have prohibited the Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg because it advocates an extremist and totalitarian Islamist ideology in Germany. This ideology fundamentally opposes human dignity, women’s rights, an independent judiciary, and our democratic institutions.”
Minister Faeser clarified that the ban specifically targets the radical elements within the IZH and does not extend to the peaceful practice of Shiite Islam.
According to the Interior Ministry, the IZH acted as a representative for Iran’s Supreme Leader and aimed to instigate an Islamic revolution in Germany to establish a theocratic regime. Additionally, the IZH was found to promote anti-Semitic views and support for Hezbollah, a militant group also banned in Germany.
The broader issue of Islam in Europe, particularly in countries like Germany and France, has been a topic of concern. Many migrants from the Middle East have settled in these nations, often maintaining separate, insular communities. This has raised questions about cultural integration.
Iran’s foreign ministry summoned the German ambassador in Tehran on Wednesday in response to Berlin’s decision to ban the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) association, the official IRNA news agency reported.
According to the Quran, it calls for violence against non-Muslims and urges their conversion to Islam.
(With files from Reuters, Agencies)
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