Demonstrations

Hamburg ‘caliphate’ rally prompts calls for punishment German politicians have called for action after reports of a rally in which speakers demanded Shariah law in Germany. A leading Bavarian conservative said such appeals should lead to jail time and citizenship removal.

(Deutsche Welle) A top Bavarian politician on Wednesday demanded tougher consequences for people advocating for Germany to become a “caliphate,” saying they should face prison terms and lose citizenship. Alexander Dobrindt, who heads Bavaria’s conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) in Germany’s Bundestag, […]

Demonstrations

Germany’s Scholz calls for ‘consequences’ following Islamist rally Demonstrators in Hamburg called for the creation of a 'caliphate,' sparking condemnation.

(Politico) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Monday there must be “consequences” following an Islamist rally in Hamburg that sparked condemnation from politicians across the country. More than 1,000 people participated in a demonstration in the northern German city on Saturday, holding up […]

Clerics & Preachers

Belgium pushes to expel controversial Palestinian activist ‘hate preacher’ Mohammed Khatib leads Palestinian group already banned in Germany for its actions praising and celebrating Hamas’s October 7 attacks

(Times of Israel) Belgium’s government on Monday said it wanted to revoke the refugee status of the head of a network supporting Palestinian prisoners, whom it accused of being an “extremist hate preacher.” Mohammed Khatib is the coordinator in Europe for Samidoun, […]

Government & Politics

England fans warned of new terror threat for Euro 2024 with ‘dangers raised to new level’ ahead of tournament The Three Lions will be hoping to win the competition in Germany this summer

(GB News) England fans have been warned of a new terror threat as the European Championships this summer creep closer. After the recent attack in Moscow, Germany Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has claimed dangers have risen “to a new level” just 75 […]

Academics & Education

Germany trains new generation of Muslim leaders In a groundbreaking move, Germany trains its own Muslim religious leaders, fostering a deeper connection with local communities. Muslim associations across the country are seeing a generational change and reorientation.

(Deutsche Welle) Osman Soyer is a religious affairs officer who was sworn into office this month in the Sehitlik Mosque in Berlin’s Neukölln district. He is one of 28 young men and women who have been trained as “religious representatives” by DITIB, […]

Demonstrations

Police in Berlin ban pro-Palestinian New Year rally Authorities in Berlin have said the planned pro-Palestinian rally would carry a risk of 'crimes,' including displays of antisemitism and glorification of violence.

(Deutsche Welle) Berlin police announced on Saturday that a pro-Palestinian rally scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Berlin’s Neukölln district should not take place. Officials said the decision had been taken because of an imminent danger “that the gathering will result in […]

Government & Politics

Austria wants to tap Islamists’ messenger apps amid Europe terrorism fears Germany and Austria arrest a group of people from Tajikistan over warnings of a New Year's Eve attack

(National-UAE) Austria’s interior minister is calling for the security services to be given access to suspects’ messenger apps in an attempt to thwart terrorist attacks. [This] comes after five people from Tajikistan were arrested in Austria and Germany with European nations on […]

Christians

Warning of ‘increased risk’ of ISIS terror attacks across Europe on New Year’s Eve Experts say terror group remains a 'serious threat' as arrests made in Spain, Austria, France and Germany

(National-UAE) Security services across Europe have uncovered an ISIS plot to use explosives to target churches. Counter-terrorism experts say the group remains a “serious threat” and is taking advantage of the conflict in Gaza to motivate its supporters. Over the Christmas period, […]

Crime

Germany braces for potential New Year’s Eve riots Police have stepped up preparations to deal with violence against them and emergency service staff on New Year's Eve. There are worries that the situation in the Middle East could worsen the problem.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said she fears a repeat of New Year rioting and attacks on emergency services in Berlin and other cities. “I’m worried that New Year’s Eve could once again be a day on which we are forced […]

Interfaith

German police raid suspected Hamas and Samidoun properties Berlin had banned activities related to Hamas — a designated terrorist group — and the international pro-Palestinian network Samidoun at the beginning of November.

(Deutsche Welle) The German Interior Ministry on Thursday said police had conducted raids on properties in four federal states connected to suspected Hamas and Samidoun members. Germany, along with the US, the EU and others, has designated Hamas a terrorist organization. Samidoun […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Faeser seeks Hamas condemnation at Islam conference Germany's interior minister has said she will seek clear positions on Hamas from faith groups at the government's annual Islam conference. Nancy Faeser said they should assume 'their responsibility in society.'

(Deutsche Welle) The ongoing conflict in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7 terror attacks against Israel looked sure to overshadow the German government’s annual Islam conference in Berlin on Tuesday. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said ahead of the event on […]

Demonstrations

Germany bans Hamas activities, dissolves Samidoun group Germany's Interior Ministry has announced a ban on pro-Palestinian group Samidoun and completely outlawed activities linked to the Islamist militant group Hamas. But what does the tightening of the law mean?

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has announced a ban on Samidoun, a group that says it advocates for Palestinian prisoners, and imposed further prohibitions to stamp out support for the Islamist militant group Hamas, which Berlin already lists as a terrorist organization. Chancellor Olaf […]

Demonstrations

German antisemitism: Robert Habeck jabs Muslim groups, threatens deportations ‘The extent of the Islamist demonstrations in Berlin and other cities in Germany is unacceptable and requires a tough political response,’ says vice chancellor.

(Politico) Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck criticized Muslim groups while expressing concern over rising antisemitism in Germany and calling for tough consequences for people committing antisemitic acts. “Antisemitism is not to be tolerated in any form,” Habeck said Wednesday evening in a speech […]

Government & Politics

Athens wants to revamp EU-Turkey migrant deal Greek interior minister says now is time to ‘reenergize, rejuvenate and expand’ pact that returns migrants to Turkey.

(Politico) Athens wants to expand a migration deal with Turkey, Greek Interior Minister Dimitrios Kairidis said. The European Union reached the contentious agreement with Turkey at the peak of the migration crisis in March 2016. It foresaw that all undocumented migrants arriving […]

Government & Politics

Islamic extremism: Germany sees reasons for ‘greatest vigilance’ The Federal Ministry of the Interior said that authorities have already prevented two Islamist attacks this year.

(European Conservative) The terror threat from Islamic extremists remains high in Germany, according to the country’s Federal Ministry of the Interior. Department officials said in a press release this week that they must continue to approach this issue with the “greatest vigilance.” […]

Government & Politics

EU countries agree to major migration deal Last-minute concessions to Italy unblocked a deal that could overhaul the EU’s asylum system for the first time in years.

(Politico) Italy finally gave its blessing. Rome’s green light on Thursday evening unlocked a major deal to overhaul the EU’s asylum procedures for the first time in years after a grueling gathering of home affairs ministers in Luxembourg. “I wasn’t sure this […]

Law Enforcement

German police swoop on ‘Islamic State’ finance network Police in Germany have carried out raids on the financing network of the so-called 'Islamic State' terror group, arresting several suspects.

(Deutsche Welle) Prosecutors in Karlsruhe on Wednesday said more than 1,000 federal and state police were involved in raids across several states on an alleged terrorist financing network. Seven suspects were arrested on suspicion of collecting donations and forwarding them to the so-called “Islamic […]

Demonstrations

German protesters call for ‘death to Israel’ and ‘death to Jews’ in Berlin The reportedly antisemitic march unfolded in two Berlin neighborhoods with large Muslim presence, Kreuzberg and Neukölln, and centered on the current controversy on the Temple Mount.

(Jerusalem Post) Israel’s Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor slammed a rally of mainly five hundred German Muslims who on Saturday blasted calls for the obliteration of Israel and Jews in Berlin. Prosor wrote on Twitter in German: “These idiots abuse Germany’s freedoms […]

Crime

Germany debates tougher deportation rules A deadly knife attack on a German regional train has triggered a debate on deportation laws and their application. The suspect, a Palestinian, was living in Germany despite his criminal record.

(Deutsche Welle) Two weeks ago, a knife attack shook Germany when a man traveling on a regional train headed for Hamburg randomly stabbed passengers, killing two of them. The alleged perpetrator, 33-year-old Ibrahim A.*, was known to the police, as he had multiple prior convictions […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: 2 killed, several injured in train knife attack Two people have been killed and seven wounded in a knife attack on a train in Germany. The attack took place in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein that borders Denmark. A young man is in police custody.

(Deutsche Welle) A man with a knife killed two people and wounded seven more on a regional train running from Kiel to Hamburg on Wednesday. A suspect was arrested at a small train station in the town of Brokstedt soon after the […]

Law Enforcement

Is Islamist terror a threat to Germany? The arrest of two terror suspects once again raises questions about the scope of the terrorist threat to Germany. It also brings back memories of the 2016 Christmas market attack.

(Deutsche Welle) The most recent arrest of two terror suspects in Germany has raised the specter of Islamist terror in Germany — despite intensified efforts to prevent such an attack in recent years. Two men had intended to kill “an unspecified number of people” […]

Government & Politics

Does Germany’s special network to prevent Islamist extremists’ attacks work? Political and religious extremism has long been seen as a threat to democracy in Germany. The Counter Terrorism Center is where agencies and police network to prevent Islamist extremist attacks. Is it effective?

(Deutsche Welle) December 19, 2016, was a particularly dark day for Germany’s Joint Counter Terrorism Center. That was the day when the terrorist Anis Amri steered a stolen truck into a crowd of people at the Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz. Twelve […]