BERLIN: German authorities banned three ultraconservative Islamic groups yesterday, including one whose Internet propaganda videos helped inspire the extremist who killed two American airmen at Frankfurt airport in 2011, the country’s domestic intelligence chief said.
Police launched early morning raids on 21 apartments and one meeting room belonging to DawaFFM, Islamic Audios and
Al Nussrah — all of which adhere to Salafism.
The groups were largely involved in recruitment, fundraising and propaganda, including videos and other postings urging people to fight against those who did not believe in their version of Islam, said Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence service, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
“These organisations are oriented against the basic right to freedom of religion — against Christians and other faiths including Shias,” Maassen said.
For example, he said, in one DawaFFM YouTube posting, an Arabic speaker told Shia Muslims: “If the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) heard your words he’d hack off your hands and feet and banish you from the earth.” AP
