Source: Deutsche Welle – Page 3

Germany: Conservatives seek to isolate Islamist groups Germany's governing conservative bloc is planning to cut all government ties with groups suspected of supporting political Islamism, according to a report in Die Welt. Large Muslim umbrella organizations may be affected.

April 13, 2021 Alex Berry

(Deutsche Welle) The parliamentary group of Germany’s ruling conservative bloc has called for an end to cooperation with groups suspected of supporting political Islamism, the newspaper Die Welt reported on Tuesday. The bloc, made up of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and […]

German professor under police protection for stance on Islamophobia A German professor at a university in Grenoble, France, has become the target of a hate campaign for not wanting to compare anti-Semitism with Islamophobia.

March 16, 2021 Stefan Dege and Heike Mund

(Deutsche Welle) “Fascists in our lecture halls! Dismiss Professor Kinzler! Islamophobia kills,” read the large banners hanging at the University of Grenoble. Activists from the French student union Unef also posted the slogans online. Five months after the brutal murder of history […]

Syrian pair appear in German court over filmed ‘execution’ Two suspected war criminals from Syria have appeared in court in the German city of Düsseldorf. They are accused of taking part in and filming the 'execution' of a Syrian regime soldier for propaganda purposes.

March 4, 2021 Richard Connor

(Deutsche Welle) Two men appeared at a higher regional court in Düsseldorf on Thursday charged with committing a war crime and the membership and support of a terror organization. The pair are suspected of having taken part in the execution of a […]

Berlin: Salafist group outlawed after police raids Authorities in the German capital have announced a ban on the radical Islamist group Jama'atu Berlin following a series of dawn raids.

February 25, 2021 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Berlin’s Senate has announced on Twitter that it has banned the “jihadist-Salafist association Jama’atu Berlin,” also known as Tauhid Berlin. The tweet Thursday said police in Berlin and Brandenburg had carried out early-morning searches of properties belonging to the group’s members. A […]

Abu Walaa, the preacher guilty of supporting ‘Islamic State’ terrorism The trial of suspected 'Islamic State' recruiter Abu Walaa has lasted three and a half years in the German city of Celle. He was sentenced to over 10 years in prison.

February 24, 2021 Diana Hodali

(Deutsche Welle) Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 11 1/2 years for Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A., also known as Abu Walaa. They said the defendant, who was born in Iraq, was the head of an “Islamic State” (IS) network and worked to […]

Germany: Syrian man charged in Dresden knife attack German prosecutors say the 20-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker was motivated by homophobia when he murdered a tourist and seriously injured his partner.

February 11, 2021 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) German federal prosecutors charged a Syrian national suspected of stabbing two men last year in the eastern city of Dresden, German media outlets reported Thursday. The 20-year-old suspect is said to have been motivated by a radical Islamist ideology, and […]

France: No Samuel Paty school after backlash over name change A French town won't rename a school after Samuel Paty — who was slain by an Islamist extremist — following backlash from teachers and parents. The move marks a sign of deeper divisions in French society.

February 8, 2021 Lisa Louis

(Deutsche Welle) No one at the school “The Eucalypts” in the village of Ollioules, near the Mediterranean coast in southern France, wants to talk to the media anymore. Sandra Olivier, maths teacher and member of the teachers’ union SNES-FSU, turned down DW’s […]

Tajik IS cell member in Germany jailed for 7 years The man had been accused of forming an 'Islamic State' cell with other locals of Tajik origins. They had first planned to shoot dead an Islam critic inside Germany.

January 26, 2021 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) A German court on Tuesday sentenced a man to seven years in prison over plans to … shoot dead a critic of Islam as part of an “Islamic State” (IS) terror cell. Summing up the four-month trial, a Düsseldorf court […]

German police busts suspected refugee smuggling ring Over a dozen suspects were linked to an operation to smuggle Syrians through the so-called Balkan route since 2019. Coordinated raids early on Tuesday involved hundreds of officers across several cities and states.

January 19, 2021 Jenipher Camino Gonzalez

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities launched coordinated raids nationwide targeting a human trafficking ring early on Tuesday, arresting suspects in Berlin, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, federal police said in a statement. Around 400 officers mobilized in total. The raids stem from […]

Germany: Weather system named ‘Ahmet’ in diversity campaign Europe's low pressure system Ahmet is the first of 14 wintertime highs and lows named to highlight the continent's diversity.

January 5, 2021 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s DWD weather service on Tuesday used Ahmet as the official name for a low pressure system over Romania that’s headed for Germany and Poland and set to bump into Lisa, another low over Italy, and Alexander, a high over […]

Austria calls for European register of Muslim imams Austria has already adopted an obligatory imam registry among other measures aimed at reducing terrorism after a November terror attack in Vienna.

January 2, 2021 Davis VanOpdorp

(Deutsche Welle) Since the start of 2021, Austria has required the registration of all imams in the country. The mandate was one of several new measures Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s government adopted after a November 2 terror attack in Vienna. Four civilians were […]

Germany brings home ‘Islamic State’ brides, children from Syrian camps Humanitarian reasons have been cited for flying home several 'IS' brides and children from internment in Syria. At the height of the civil war, the women allegedly traveled to join the Islamist militia.

December 20, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday said he was “relieved” that a “humanitarian” recovery operation had brought home 18 children and five “Islamic State” (IS) brides from Kurdish-run internment camps in northeastern Syria. One of three German women brought back, identified in reports as […]

Berlin remembers victims of Christmas market terror attack Mourners have gathered in the German capital to pay respects to those who died in the 2016 terrorist attack. This year's ceremony took place in the absence of Christmas markets.

December 19, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Over 100 people gathered in Berlin on Saturday to mourn and remember the 12 victims of the 2016 Islamist attack on a Christmas market in the German capital. At 8:02 p.m. — the exact time of the attack — church […]

Berlin Islamist terror attack: A deadly story of failure Anis Amri committed the worst Islamist attack in Germany to date when he drove into the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz. Four years later many questions are unanswered. And many fear such an event could be repeated.

December 18, 2020 Marcel Fürstenau

(Deutsche Welle) Eleven people died and 60 were seriously injured when the Islamist Anis Amri drove a stolen truck into a Christmas market in central Berlin on December 19, 2016. The 24-year-old Tunisian national whose application for asylum had been rejected had […]

Germany: Anti-terror data mining ruled unconstitutional Powers granted in 2015 that gave systematic access to an anti-terror database are partially illegal and are now void, says Germany's Constitutional Court.

December 11, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s highest court ruled Friday that a law that gave systematic access by security agencies to a centralized anti-terror database is partially illegal. The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe said that the widespread use of the stored personal data had […]

New French law may increase discrimination France's government is presenting a draft law to combat 'radical Islamism.' Critics say the measures are inefficient and will further stigmatize Muslims.

December 8, 2020 Lisa Louis

(Deutsche Welle) Irfan Thakar and Omar Ahamad feel misunderstood as Muslims in France. They are members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Saint-Prix, a northern suburb of Paris. As the imam, the 30-year-old Thakar regularly leads the prayer at the Moubarak mosque, […]

Renowned imam calls on Muslims to engage with France Prominent Islamic scholar [Mohammed] Abu Zaid has urged Muslims in France to cooperate with the government. But he told DW that the authorities should also foster dialogue with the Muslim community.

December 5, 2020 Jennifer Holleis

(Deutsche Welle) France’s latest steps in combating Islamist extremism at home have been closely monitored in Arab countries. The brutal killing of French teacher Samuel Paty, who had shown his pupils cartoons of the prophet Muhammad in class, prompted French President Emmanuel […]

Vienna: Iraqi jailed for life over attacks on German ICE trains An Iraqi accused of trying to derail three German high-speed passenger trains in 2018 has been handed a life sentence by a court in Vienna. The jury ultimately rejected his denial of being an 'Islamic State' supporter.

December 4, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Vienna’s regional court on Thursday sentenced a 44-year-old Iraqi to life in prison for attempting to derail high-speed passenger trains in Germany. The man had been living in the Austrian capital as a refugee with his wife and four children since 2013. The […]

German minister wants ‘criminals’ expelled to Syria, despite asylum safeguards Interior Minister Horst Seehofer wants Germany's general ban on deportations to war-torn Syria weakened to return persons deemed criminal or dangerous. Rights groups accuse him of pandering to the far right.

November 27, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s current general deportation stop to Syria should not be extended, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Friday, urging that individual case-by-case decisions be made “at least for criminals and those considered a threat.” In 2012, Germany passed a ban on […]

124 ‘high-risk’ Islamists at large in Germany: report More than 120 Islamists in Germany pose a 'high risk,' according to the country's investigative police agency. A deadly attack in Dresden last month forced authorities to increase surveillance of dangerous Islamists.

November 21, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) In response to a parliamentary question by the Green Party, Germany’s BKA Federal Criminal Police Office revealed there are currently 124 “high risk” Islamists at large in the country. The agency also listed 151 people as posing a “moderate risk.” The BKA’s […]

Germany’s imams seen as key in combating radicalization Imam training is in the spotlight of this year's German Islam Conference. In light of recent terror attacks, Germany's interior minister said a new training program for German-speaking imams was 'money well-spent.'

November 10, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) The latest spate of terror attacks in France and Austria will not hamper the cooperation between the government and Germany’s Muslim community, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Tuesday. “We won’t let terrorism and extremism derail us,” Seehofer said at […]

Islamist terrorism: Germany is home to more than 600 agitators Islamist terrorism has struck again in Europe — this time in Vienna and Nice. Germany has also been the scene of numerous attacks, and the security forces keep tabs on hundreds of potential attackers.

November 4, 2020 Matthias von Hein

(Deutsche Welle) At least one of the assailants in the Vienna attack was known to police. The 20-year-old, shot dead on Monday evening, had made several attempts to leave the country and join the so-called Islamic State (IS). It would appear, however, that […]

Man denied German citizenship for refusing to shake woman’s hand The man aced the German naturalization test, but refused to shake hands with the female official handing over his citizenship. Despite claims he will not shake hands with men either, his citizenship has been rejected.

October 17, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) A German court ruled on Friday that a Muslim man who refused to shake the hand of a woman should not receive German citizenship. The 40-year-old Lebanese doctor, who came to Germany in 2002, said he refuses to shake women’s […]

German police: 91 Islamist returnees from Mid East ‘threats to society’ Germany's security services refer to people who they consider capable of serious acts of violence — including terrorist attacks — as 'threats.'

October 17, 2020 Keith Walker

(Deutsche Welle) Police in Germany labeled 91 Islamist returnees from Syria and Iraq as threats to society, according to information supplied to the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, news agency DPA reported on Saturday. The list, supplied by Germany’s interior ministry, […]

Germany: Top police informant identified by Islamist and convicted terrorist The undercover agent 'Murat Cem' is reported to be under police protection after a well-known Islamist identified him. Clues to the informant's real name were apparently found in a book about his surveillance work.

October 16, 2020 Nik Martin

(Deutsche Welle) After the identity of a high-profile police informant was blown this summer, a radical Islamist and convicted terrorist has claimed responsibility for unmasking him, German public broadcaster Tagesschau reported on Friday. Bernhard Falk said he worked out the real name […]

Germany’s refugee population falls for the first time in nine years The number of refugees living in Germany has fallen for the first time in nine years, said the Interior Ministry. Some lost their protection status, while others were prevented from entering due to COVID-19 restrictions.

October 5, 2020 Leah Carter

(Deutsche Welle) The number of refugees living in Germany has fallen for the first time in nine years, according to the Interior Ministry. In the first half of 2020, the total number of refugees decreased from about 1.83 million at the end […]

Germany accepts first 139 refugees from Greece’s burned-out Moria camp A group of children suffering serious health problems and their immediate families arrived in Germany. It was the first resettlement flight after the notorious refugee camp burned down earlier this month.

September 30, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) The first group of refugees from the razed Moria camp arrived in Germany from Greece on Wednesday. A group of 139 people — unaccompanied children, children suffering from serious health problems and their immediate families — arrived in Hannover, in […]

German court quashes ban on mosque’s call to prayer The call to prayer had been banned after a Christian couple complained that it intruded on their religious freedoms. The court ruled that the call to prayer did not violate the rights of those who heard it.

September 23, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) A court in the western German city of Münster on Wednesday ruled that a local mosque is permitted to perform its Friday call to prayer. It follows an appeal by the town of Oer-Erkenschwick against the prior decision to revoke the mosque’s permission. “Every […]

Moria migrants: Germany, France will take in 400 children from Greece’s refugee camp Berlin and Paris said they plan to move 400 minors from the Greek migrant camp destroyed in a blaze. Angela Merkel said she hoped other EU nations would assume a 'shared responsibility' and accept some of the minors.

September 10, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to a deal that would allow 400 unaccompanied minors from the Greek migrant camp to move to other parts of the European Union, Merkel confirmed on Thursday. Merkel, whose country […]

Clashes break out in Norway at anti-Islam rally Tensions in the Norwegian capital came to a head when an anti-Islam protester ripped pages from the Quran. Police used tear gas to keep rival groups separated, arresting nearly 30 people.

August 29, 2020 Rebecca Staudenmaier

(Deutsche Welle) Clashes broke out at an anti-Islam rally in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Saturday, prompting authorities to end the event early. The rally, organized by the group Stop Islamization of Norway (SIAN), took place near the parliament building. Hundreds […]

Berlin teacher headscarf ban is illegal, rules top court The ruling is the latest in a long-running legal battle brought by a Muslim woman who was banned from teaching in the city. Some lawmakers are now calling for Berlin's controversial neutrality act to be changed.

August 27, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Federal Labor Court on Thursday ruled that a blanket ban on teachers wearing headscarves in schools in the capital city Berlin was unconstitutional. The court decision was the latest in a case brought by a Muslim woman who was unable to […]

Burqa ban, face mask laws frustrate Dutch Muslims One year after the burqa ban in the Netherlands, Muslim women have reported increased discrimination and violence. Adding to the frustration, face masks against COVID-19 have become mandatory on Dutch public transport.

August 1, 2020 Ingrid Gercama and Sanne Derks

(Deutsche Welle) Walking quickly across the Bos en Lommerplein, a square in the west of Amsterdam, Emarah* stands out. Raindrops run down her long black burqa, soaking the bottom of the black body-covering garment. It has been three years since she first […]

Germany: SPD formally expels former Berlin senator Thilo Sarrazin An arbitration committee upheld the Social Democrats' decision to expel Sarrazin over Islamophobic rhetoric. The ruling marked the party's third attempt to oust him after almost a decade fighting in court.

July 31, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) have finally managed to expel controversial politician turned author Thilo Sarrazin, who has published a series of books over the last decade bearing little resemblance to the party’s stated positions. Sarrazin’s books criticizing the lack of […]

France: The long shadow of the Saint-Michel terrorist attacks Twenty-five years ago, France was shaken by a radical Islamist attack that inspired a new generation of terrorists. The trail also [led] to France's disadvantaged housing projects, putting them in the national focus.

July 24, 2020 Andreas Noll

(Deutsche Welle) The bomb went off in the heart of Paris at 5:30 p.m., the height of the post-workday rush hour. A giant fireball raced down the platform of the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame metro station after a gas container filled with shrapnel exploded in […]

Families of French IS members in Syria battle to bring them back Families in France are growing more determined to bring back relatives who left to join the so-called Islamic State. Dozens of French women and children recently vanished from the radar, leaving relatives desperate.

July 23, 2020 Lisa Louis

(Deutsche Welle) Antoine* is used to standing his ground. The trade unionist has defended workers’ rights his whole life. But when his daughter M. suddenly left to join so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq five years ago, he hit rock bottom. “It […]

Germany: Freiburg gang rapists to spend years in prison Ten of 11 men accused in the gang rape of a woman in the southern city of Freiburg in 2018 have been sentenced to jail terms. The case was seized upon by anti-immigration populists, as most of the men are refugees.

July 23, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) A German regional court on Thursday handed jail sentences of up to five and a half years to members of a group of men accused of jointly raping an 18-year-old woman in the southern city of Freiburg in October 2018. […]

Germany: Backlash after Düsseldorf enlists rapper Farid Bang for coronavirus video The German city of Düsseldorf has come under fire for collaborating with controversial rapper Farid Bang to produce a coronavirus social distancing appeal video. The artist has been accused of anti-Semitism in the past.

July 22, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) The anti-Semitism commissioner from Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, has sharply criticized a video featuring controversial German rapper Farid Bang which calls on people to observe COVID-19 social distancing regulations. The short video was produced in collaboration with the […]

German state bans burqas, niqabs in schools Baden-Württemberg will now ban full-face coverings for all school children. State Premier Winfried Kretschmann said burqas and niqabs did not belong in a free society. A similar rule for teachers was already in place.

July 21, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) The government of the western German state of Baden-Württemberg agreed on Tuesday to ban full-face coverings, often known as burqa or niqab, in schools. The new rule comes as the topic of Muslim face coverings has been hotly debated in […]

Police in Germany conduct raids on suspected Islamists in Berlin Berlin police are investigating 12 suspects who are accused of financing terrorism, among other crimes. Investigators have carried out a total of 20 search warrants.

July 15, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Investigators from Berlin’s Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) are executing 20 search warrants against 12 suspects from the Islamist scene, Berlin’s public prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday. A total of 450 officers and police officials were deployed in the operation, […]

Female genital mutilation: Report shows 68,000 victims in Germany A report estimates that the number of victims of female genital mutilation in Germany has increased by 44% since 2017, and nearly 15,000 girls may be at risk. The minister responsible linked the increase to migration.

June 25, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) The amount of women and girls in Germany who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) has increased to 68,000, the families minister announced Thursday. The increase, up 44% from the last estimated total calculated in 2017, was attributed to greater […]

Migrant crossings into Europe spiked in May: report The number of migrants seeking to enter the EU tripled in May compared to the previous month. It's a sign traffic along Europe's migration routes is picking up again after a lull brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 14, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) European border agency Frontex recorded a sharp increase in migrants hoping to enter the EU last month, German media reported Sunday. The spike comes after coronavirus lockdowns and widespread border closures cut the number of potential asylum-seekers able to reach […]

Berlin police officer accused of leaking information to AfD after Christmas market attack A police officer allegedly leaked information about the Berlin Christmas market attack to friends in the far-right AfD. One of the recipients is a suspect in right-wing attacks in the German capital.

June 5, 2020 Kristie Pladson

(Deutsche Welle) German prosecutors are investigating a police officer for allegedly distributing internal police information on the 2016 Berlin terror attack to friends in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, public broadcasters reported Friday. The officer, himself a member of the […]

Coronavirus: Experts warn of bioterrorism after pandemic The Council of Europe has warned of a potential increase in the use of biological weapons, like viruses or bacterias, in a post-coronavirus world. Terrorists would not forget 'lessons learned' during the pandemic.

May 25, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Security experts from the Council of Europe have warned that the global coronavirus outbreak may increase the use of biological weapons by terrorists in the future. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how vulnerable modern society is to viral infections and […]

Over 100 ‘Islamic State’ fighters return to Germany Authorities say a third of Islamic State fighters who left Germany for Syria have since returned. Germany is taking a 'holistic approach' in dealing with ex-jihadi fighters, including deradicalization and reintegration.

May 24, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that over 100 members of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) terrorist group have returned to the country following the jihadi [network’s] failed incursions in Iraq and Syria. “Security authorities obtained knowledge that they actively engaged […]

EU agency wants ‘IS’ returnees charged with war crimes A new report from an EU-backed genocide investigation body says adding war crimes and genocide to terrorism charges for 'IS' fighters returning to the EU will lead to tougher sentences and 'more justice' for victims.

May 23, 2020 Unlisted Author

(Deutsche Welle) Former “Islamic State” (IS) fighters who returned to Europe from conflicts in Iraq and Syria should be charged with war crimes along with terrorism, said a report released Saturday by the EU-backed “Genocide Network.” According to the network, many so-called […]

Prosecuting IS returnees in Germany requires the law’s longest arm An increasing number of 'Islamic State' returnees are standing trial in Germany, including female supporters of the terror group. To make their case, federal prosecutors are relying on international criminal law.

May 17, 2020 Matthias von Hein

(Deutsche Welle) Taha A.-J.*, an Iraqi man believed to have belonged to the “Islamic State” (IS), has been standing trial in Frankfurt since late April on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. At the center of his trial is […]

Spain eclipses Germany as top destination for asylum-seekers: report New figures show refugee arrivals to the Mediterranean country outnumbering those in Germany, thanks to asylum-seekers from Latin America. But a resurgent 'Islamic State' could prompt more people to flee Iraq and Syria.

May 13, 2020 Elizabeth Schumacher

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is no longer the top destination for asylum-seekers in Europe, according to a German media report on Wednesday. German daily Die Welt, citing unpublished numbers from the European Union’s asylum agency EASO, reported that Spain has surpassed Germany in the number […]

Germany: Alleged attacker of Turkish shops was IS supporter A man suspected of carrying out attacks on Turkish shops in Bavaria was a follower of the Islamic State (IS) armed group, local authorities have said. He had several pipe bombs in his bag when police arrested him.

May 10, 2020 Kristie Pladson

(Deutsche Welle) A man suspected of carrying out attacks against Turkish-owned businesses in the Bavarian town of Waldkraiburg is a sympathizer of the Islamic State, police authorities said Sunday in an online press conference. The 25-year-old justified his hatred towards Turks and […]

Refugee policy EU’s ‘biggest inadequacy,’ says Germany’s Heiko Maas Germany's foreign minister took aim at the EU's approach to refugees, saying nothing has been solved since the 2015 migrant crisis. He also called again for a scheme to distribute asylum-seekers across the EU.

May 7, 2020 Davis VanOpdorp

(Deutsche Welle) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has accused European Union member states of not doing enough to solve the continent’s migrant dilemma. Speaking at an online conference hosted by re:publica and the Media Convention Berlin, Maas said the manner with which […]

German government bans Hezbollah — Interior Ministry Authorities have designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization and banned its activity on German soil. Police conducted raids on four associations linked to the Islamist group.

April 30, 2020 Leah Carter

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Thursday banned all Hezbollah activities in the country, his ministry spokesman said on Twitter. He also confirmed that “police measures are underway in several federal states concurrently,” and added that even in times of […]