Clerics & Preachers

Founder of Berlin’s liberal mosque honored for inclusive vision Seyran Ates' long fight for women's rights in the Muslim world led her to open a tolerant mosque where non-veiled women could preach and pray alongside men. She has now been honored with the prestigious Urania Medal.

(Deutsche Welle) A lawyer, activist, author and now imam, Seyran Ates has long lent a critical voice to debates about migration, women’s rights and religious freedom in Germany and beyond. Ates co-founded the “liberal” Ibn Ruschd-Goethe Mosque on the third floor of St. John’s Church near […]

News: Europe

Germany detains ‘Islamic State’ returnee deported from Turkey German authorities have detained an Islamist who was expelled with his family from Turkey. Ankara has been deporting individuals with alleged affiliation to the 'Islamic State' terror group to their countries of origin.

(Deutsche Welle) The father of a family of seven, expelled by Turkey on Thursday, was taken into custody on arrival in Germany, said Martin Pallgen, a spokesman for the Berlin state Interior Ministry. A warrant for his arrest is understood not to be […]

Academics & Education

Germany set to take charge of imam education locally In a bid to reduce foreign influence on Islamic religious leaders, Germany will support a new pilot project that educates imams locally. Experts say it is a positive step, but a more comprehensive approach is needed.

(Deutsche Welle) The government has long struggled with foreign involvement when it comes to the education of imams who lead Muslim communities across Germany. Now, a new educational association, with start-up funding from Germany’s interior ministry, is set to launch on November 21. Even though some […]

Deradicalization

Germany: Don’t panic over ‘Islamic State’ returnees’ arrival Berlin has tried to reassure the public that suspected German Islamic State supporters being deported from Turkey do not pose a security threat. Critics say the government should have brought them back sooner.

(Deutsche Welle) A family of seven German Islamists arrived in Berlin on Thursday after the Turkish Interior Ministry announced earlier this week that it would start deportations of captured “Islamic State” supporters. There are no German arrest warrants for the family of German-Iraqi Kanan B., meaning […]

Government & Politics

Deportation of suspected ‘IS’ fighters forces Germany to take action Turkey will deport 10 men, women and children with suspected ties to 'Islamic State' back to Germany this week. The move is making several countries address how to repatriate suspected terrorists and their families.

(Deutsche Welle) The repatriation of “Islamic State” (IS) deportees  is bound to spark domestic and international debate: Public opinion in Germany is moving against the repatriation of suspected terrorists, and countries around the world continue to shy away from bringing suspected fighters and […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Terror victims to receive better compensation After criticism that the victims of the 2016 Berlin terrorist attack were left behind, Germany has passed new laws on damages. Victims will be more speedily and more generously compensated.

(Deutsche Welle) Future victims of terrorist attacks in Germany will get better and speedier [compensation] after a new law was passed in the Bundestag on Thursday evening. The modernizing move came after criticism of the treatment received by the victims of the […]

Children & Teens

Germany must repatriate IS-linked mother and children, says court Three German children in northern [Syria] and their one-time 'Islamic State'-affiliated mother must be brought back by Germany’s federal government. That’s been confirmed by a regional appeal court in Berlin.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Higher Administration Court (OVG) in Berlin-Brandenburg on Thursday ruled that three children and their mother must be brought back from northern Syria. While the German Foreign Ministry was prepared to repatriate the children, it refused to bring back the mother citing — like many other […]

Clerics & Preachers

Germany: Imams will have to prove they speak the language Religious leaders from other countries could soon be forced to prove they can speak German in order to stay in the country. Critics say such a law would worsen the country's shortage of Muslim clerics.

(Deutsche Welle) The German Cabinet has introduced a draft of a bill that would require clergy from countries outside the EU to prove their knowledge of German in order to reside in the country. Although the law would apply to clerics from […]

Immigration

Germany: In 20 years, 1 in 3 people will have migrant roots In large cities, up to 70% of inhabitants will have a migrant background in two decades, experts say. Germany will need to attract a 'range of nationalities' to keep the 'economy stable.'

(Deutsche Welle) By 2040, about 35% of Germany’s population will have a migrant background or be a migrant themselves, according to a German migration expert. Herbert Brücker, who heads the migration research department at the Federal Institute for Employment Research (IAB), told […]

Internet

Germany prevented 7 attacks since Berlin Christmas market atrocity An attack like the one that left 12 dead in 2016 would not be possible today, says the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office. But the effects of online hate speech have officials worried for democracy in Germany.

(Deutsche Welle) Security authorities have prevented seven terrorist attacks in Germany since the 2016 Christmas market terror attack that killed 12, says Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office. In an interview with German daily Rheinische Post published Wednesday, the organization’s president Holger Münch said […]

Military

Heightened tensions between Turks and Kurds on German amateur football pitches A military salute by Turkish players at an international against Albania has spilled over onto Germany’s amateur pitches. Regional associations are trying to put a lid on a potential source of on-field tensions.

(Deutsche Welle) It didn’t take the copycats very long. Less than 48 hours after members of the Turkish national team raised their right hands in a salute to their country’s armed forces during last Friday’s international, the military greeting found its way […]

Internet

Gündogan and Can ‘like’ controversial Turkish football Instagram post Ilkay Gündogan and Emre Can have embroiled themselves in a row over a controversial military salute celebration. The German internationals liked an Instagram post featuring Turkey players that is thought to be political.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany players Ilkay Gündogan and Emre Can have found themselves mixed up in the contentious debate over a military salute celebration performed by Turkish international footballers, after the pair both liked an Instagram post showing the celebrations. The two German-born […]

Children & Teens

Germany: Asylum-seeker who killed Kandel teen found dead in prison cell An Afghan asylum-seeker who was convicted of murdering a 15-year-old German girl in 2017 has been found dead in his prison cell. The murder case sparked months of anti-immigrant rallies and counterprotests.

(Deutsche Welle) Abdul D., an Afghan asylum-seeker convicted of stabbing his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend to death, was found dead at a juvenile prison in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, police and prosecutors said on Thursday. Authorities said in a statement that Abdul D.’s body […]

Children & Teens

Germany charges Iraqi man with genocide for killing Yazidi child An Iraqi man faces a charge of genocide in Germany, accused of chaining up a Yazidi girl and letting the 5-year-old die of thirst. He and his wife, a German national, are believed to be part of the 'Islamic State' group.

(Deutsche Welle) Greek authorities extradited an Iraqi man to Germany where he now faces charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and human trafficking, German prosecutors said on Friday. German officials identified the suspected “Islamic State” (IS) militant as Taha A.-J., in […]

Immigration

German authorities investigating stolen truck ramming A man from Syria has been arrested after a truck plowed into a line of cars in the western city of Limburg. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that as yet, there was no clear motive behind the incident.

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities were investigating Tuesday why a man rammed a stolen truck into a line of cars in Limburg, leaving eight people injured as well as the driver. Officials confirmed that the 32-year-old suspected hijacker had been detained. A judge later issued a […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s Horst Seehofer warns of ‘refugee wave’ bigger than in 2015 German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has called on the EU to do more to support Turkey and avoid another refugee crisis. If nothing is done, he said, the crisis may become 'even greater than four years ago.'

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has warned of a larger influx of refugees than that seen in Europe in 2015. He made the statement during an official visit to Greece. Traveling with incoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, […]

Arts & Entertainment

Controversial Palestinian rappers banned from performing in Berlin Known for their anti-Israel lyrics, Palestinian rappers Shadi Al-Bourini and Shadi Al-Najjar were due to headline a so-called 'solidarity rally' held by Palestinian groups that the Israeli ambassador to Germany opposed.

(Deutsche Welle) A Palestinian rally set to take place Wednesday in front of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate has caused a diplomatic storm as both the Israeli and US ambassadors to Germany called for a performance by Palestinian rappers Shadi Al-Bourini and Shadi Al-Najjar to be […]

Government & Politics

Asylum approvals almost always right, German review finds — report Nearly all decisions to grant migrants asylum in Germany were justified, officials found after reviewing some 62,000 claims, according to a newspaper report. Hundreds of officials work on reviewing old cases.

(Deutsche Welle) While reviewing successful asylum applications, German officials found that only a tiny minority of asylum-seekers provided false information or tried to trick the officials, according to official data cited by Süddeutsche Zeitung on Thursday. Germany’s migration agency, BAMF, looked into […]

Immigration

Italian soldier stabbed near Milan train station A man reportedly used a letter opener to injure a soldier on patrol in Milan, a day after attacking people with a pen. Other soldiers managed to subdue the suspect, who allegedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar' during the arrest.

(Deutsche Welle) Italian anti-terrorism officials are investigating a 23-year-old man suspected of stabbing an army corporal outside Milan’s main train station, Italian media reported on Tuesday. The suspect attacked the patrolling soldier from the back with a letter opener, causing the victim […]

Clerics & Preachers

Muslim, Jewish leaders team up in ‘exemplary’ European initiative Imams and rabbis from across Europe are attending a summit in Italy organized by the Muslim Jewish Leadership Council. Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and right-wing populism are all topics they'd like to address better.

(Deutsche Welle) Although the site is remote, it has plenty of symbolism: Beginning this Sunday, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders from some 15 countries will meet in the southern Italian city of Matera, one of Europe’s 2019 cultural capitals, to take part […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Raids carried out against terror financing suspects Special police units carried out raids in northern Germany to investigate alleged financial supporters of terrorist groups in Syria. Prosecutors said hundreds of thousands of euros were allegedly sent to militants.

(Deutsche Welle) Police carried out raids in northern Germany to investigate alleged terrorist suspects in several cities on Wednesday morning, prosecutors said. A senior prosecutor for the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Ulrike Stahlmann-Liebelt, said the raids were to investigate the suspected formation of an organized […]

Government & Politics

German court rejects plea to repatriate suspected jihadi from Syria A German court has found the government isn't responsible for repatriating a citizen imprisoned by Syrian Kurds on suspicion of joining the 'Islamic State.' The ruling was based on a technicality.

(Deutsche Welle) The German government is not required to repatriate one of its citizens believed to be imprisoned by Syrian Kurdish forces on suspicion of being a member of the “Islamic State” (IS), a Berlin administrative court ruled Tuesday. The German national, […]

Law Enforcement

Widow of German IS rapper is arrested in Hamburg The German-Tunisian woman has been arrested just months after a cellphone provided fresh evidence about her time in Syria. She had married two IS fighters, one of whom was rapper-turned-extremist Denis Cuspert.

(Deutsche Welle) German authorities said on Monday that Omaima A., a German-Tunisian woman, was arrested in Hamburg last week for her ties to the “Islamic State” (IS). Omaima A. was once married to German rapper-turned-IS fighter Denis Cuspert, who is believed to have died […]

Legal

German IS fighter faces torture and murder terrorism charges in Düsseldorf court A German IS fighter is facing charges of murder and torture at a German high court. This is the second time that he has faced terrorism-related charges.

(Deutsche Welle) A fighter from the self-styled “Islamic State” (IS) group stood trial in Düsseldorf on Wednesday facing serious charges of committing war crimes, in addition to murder. This is the second time that the 29-year-old has stood trial for terror-related offenses, […]

Crime

More Germans applying for alarm gun licenses More and more Germans are acquiring the permit they need to carry a gas pistol, a newspaper has reported. The number has more than doubled in the last five years.

(Deutsche Welle) Some 640,000 Germans now have an alarm gun license, some 30,000 more than at the end of last year, according to research by the Rheinische Post newspaper. The number has risen hugely since 2014, when some 260,000 people carried such a license. […]

Government & Politics

German state fights Islamist extremism with YouTube satire The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia is betting on wit and humor as an antidote to Islamist extremism. Extremists use YouTube to target young people, but NRW wants to fight fire with fire.

(Deutsche Welle) The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has launched a satirical YouTube channel in the hope of stopping young people from becoming radicalized via the video sharing platform. The project launched by the NRW Office for the Protection of the Constitution […]

Legal

Germany: Syrian man who posed with severed head charged with war crimes The 33-year-old claims he did not kill and then desecrate the body of an opposing fighter. The suspect is already in prison for lesser crimes.

(Deutsche Welle) A 33-year-old Syrian man was charged in the western Germany city of Koblenz on Friday with committing war crimes. Authorities say they … have concrete evidence that the man fought with the “Islamic State” (IS) terror group for two years, […]

Crime

Chechen refugee in Germany fined after sharing DW article on Islamic State A court in Augsburg has fined a refugee from the Chechen Republic after he shared a DW article on his Facebook page. According to the ruling, he propagated the insignia of the Islamic State group.

(Deutsche Welle) When Mokhmad Abdurakhmanov, a Chechen refugee living in the Bavarian city of Augsburg, shared a DW article on his Facebook page last year, he never imagined he’d end up in legal trouble. But this week a court in Augsburg fined […]

Crime

Chemnitz: Syrian asylum-seeker convicted of killing that sparked far-right riots Alaa S. has been sentenced to nine years and six months for the killing of Daniel H. Chemnitz has done a lot to try and alter its image since the death.

(Deutsche Welle) The man accused of the killing that led to a week of far-right violence last year in Chemnitz was found guilty of manslaughter at a court in Dresden on Thursday, and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. […]

Children & Teens

Syrian Kurds hand over four ‘Islamic State’ children to Germany Kurdish authorities in Syria have handed over four children to Germany who had parents that were 'Islamic State' fighters. Many EU countries are grappling with how to handle returning foreign fighters and their families.

(Deutsche Welle) The Kurdish-led autonomous administration in northeastern Syria on Monday handed to Germany four children whose parents were part of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) terror outfit, Kurdish sources and a spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said on Monday. There […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s Seehofer warns refugees who take Syria vacations Refugees who return to Syria for holidays might lose their refugee status in Germany, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told the Bild newspaper. Some newcomers simultaneously claim to be fleeing persecution there.

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced a tough response to Syrian refugees who leave Germany for holidays in their home country. “If somebody, a Syrian refugee, regularly takes holidays in Syria, he cannot honestly claim to be persecuted in Syria,” Seehofer told […]

Clothing

German conservatives renew calls for a burqa ban The deputy leader of the conservative Christian Democrats has joined other CDU members in calling for a burqa ban in Germany. The calls come after the Netherlands imposed its own ban on face-covering clothing.

(Deutsche Welle) As the neighboring Netherlands begins policing the wearing of burqas, Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) are calling for a burqa ban of Germany’s own. Julia Klöckner, who leads the provincial Rhineland-Palatinate branch of the party and is the No. 2 […]

Government & Politics

Are deportations from Germany on the rise? German's amended laws on migration and asylum will soon come into force. This includes legislation to facilitate deportations. But what is going to change? Answers to the most important questions.

(Deutsche Welle) How many people is Germany currently deporting? According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior’s figures for last year, 23,617 rejected asylum-seekers were deported in 2018. This sounds like a lot. But in the same period, about 31,000 deportations failed […]

Children & Teens

German daycares under police protection after plans to stop serving pork Two Leipzig daycare centers reversed moves to remove pork from the menu after the plans sparked a nationwide debate. The heated responses prompted police to park patrol cars outside to protect against 'possible dangers.'

(Deutsche Welle) Plans to no longer serve children pork or gelatin-containing products like gummy bears at two daycare centers in the eastern German city of Leipzig prompted a wave of criticism online and made headlines across the country on Tuesday. The mass-circulation […]

Law Enforcement

German police raid suspected Islamists’ homes The raids in the western cities of Düren and Cologne came after credible tipoffs were received by police. Six men have been taken in for questioning, according to German media.

(Deutsche Welle) Police in Germany’s western state of North Rhine-Westphalia carried out raids against suspected Islamist extremists on Thursday. Officers were searching for “concrete indications” of a planned attack, authorities said. Sniffer dogs were present as the police searched for explosives, but […]

News: Europe

Germans support democracy, but are concerned about Islam A study by the Bertelsmann Foundation found 89% of respondents, across all religions, consider democracy to be a good form of government. But half of respondents expressed concern over Islam.

(Deutsche Welle) The latest edition of the Bertelsmann Foundation’s bi-annual “Religion Monitor” interview survey published on Thursday found religious tolerance in Germany to be sustained but Islam to be having a hard time, perceived by many to be negative. As a result […]

Books

Germany’s center-left SPD ousts anti-Islam writer Thilo Sarrazin, 74, has said he will appeal the decision, and denies claims that his books are racist. SPD leadership has welcomed the decision, as they have tried three times to oust Sarrazin.

(Deutsche Welle) On its third try, Germany’s center-left Social Democrats (SPD) will be able to kick controversial anti-Islam author Thilo Sarrazin from its ranks, an arbitration court ruled on Thursday. The former Berlin senator intends to appeal the ruling. “We will try […]

Legal

German ‘Islamic State’ bride jailed for 5 years Sabine S. traveled to Syria and Iraq to marry an Islamic State (IS) fighter and praised jihadi life in several blogs. She left her two children in Berlin after becoming radicalized.

(Deutsche Welle) A 32-year-old German woman on Friday was sentenced to five years in prison for being a member of the “Islamic State” (IS) terrorist organization. Sabine S. converted to Islam and moved to Syria and Iraq from the end of 2013 […]

Interfaith

Anti-Semitism a growing concern for majority of Europe’s young Jews Young Jewish Europeans believe anti-Semitism is on the rise in their countries. An EU report shows young Jews are concerned about safety and blame social media networks for a rise in anti-Jewish sentiment.

(Deutsche Welle) More than 80% of European Jews aged 16 to 34 strongly identify with being Jewish, and an equally high number of respondents believe anti-Semitism is a growing problem in their countries. According to the “Young Jews in Contemporary Europe” report […]

Children & Teens

German IS trial: Mother of tortured girl questioned in Munich A woman thought to be the mother of a Yazidi girl left to die of thirst, allegedly by an Islamic State couple, has been questioned in a Munich court. A German national is on trial for the enslaved girl's death.

(Deutsche Welle) Nora T. is believed to have witnessed the agonizing death of her 5-year-old Yazidi daughter while they were both kept as slaves by a couple affiliated with “Islamic State” in Iraq in 2015. German national Jennifer W. is on trial in Munich […]

Government & Politics

Germany loses track of 160 ‘Islamic State’ supporters About 1,000 Germans traveled to the Middle East to join the 'Islamic State' after 2013. A third of them have since returned to Germany. Some died on the battlefield, others are in prison, but many appear to be missing.

(Deutsche Welle) The German government has lost track of more than 160 German “Islamic State” (IS) supporters who traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the terror group, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper has reported. The figure from the Interior Ministry was […]

Academics & Education

Germany’s imam quandary: Educate, don’t import Ending foreign influence on Muslim religious leaders' education is a long-term goal for the German government. A new study might lead the way for training local imams, if all parties involved are willing to participate.

(Deutsche Welle) A new report published Tuesday proposes a concrete solution to Germany’s ongoing dilemma about how to educate Islamic religious leaders. The goal is to create a seminar that would offer graduates of Islamic theology institutes in Germany the possibility to […]

Crime

Islamophobic attacks in Germany sharply decline A parliamentary inquiry has found that anti-Muslim attacks have been dropping steadily since 2017. However, a Left party lawmaker warned that hatred is still being spread widely online and inside communities.

(Deutsche Welle) A new report published on Wednesday found that Islamophobic attacks in Germany were down significantly in 2019 compared to the previous two years. The information was published in the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung following a parliamentary inquiry from the Left party. In […]

Clothing

Muslim Council demands apology for Cologne police ‘racial profiling’ Cologne police have denied that brief detentions of Ramadan revelers at the city's rail hub amounted to 'racial profiling.' Germany's Central Council of Muslims says officers need coaching in cultural sensitivity.

(Deutsche Welle) Calls of “Allahu Akbar” [“God is great”] by young Muslims wearing long gowns and vests outside Cologne’s main rail station culminated on Wednesday in counter-accusations between city police and the Central Council of Muslims in Germany (ZMD). Police chief Uwe […]

Demonstrations

Germany’s anti-Semitism debate raises its head at pro-Palestinian march in Berlin Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators peacefully marched in Berlin amid a struggle to define the line between criticism of Israel and anti-Semitism. The government urged people to show support for Jews and Israel.

(Deutsche Welle) Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters snaked through the streets of the German capital on Saturday shouting anti-Israel slogans against the backdrop of rising concerns about anti-Semitism in the country. Of the 2,000 banner and flag-waving protesters in the al-Quds march some […]

Government & Politics

Germany is failing to prosecute IS foreign fighters, Yazidis accuse Members of the Yazidi minority in Germany are taking the federal government to court. They say Berlin isn't doing enough to bring German 'Islamic State' supporters captured in Syria to justice.

(Deutsche Welle) The Yazidi Women’s Council has filed a lawsuit against Germany’s justice and interior ministers, alleging obstruction of justice, according to German media reports. The interest group accuses the government of failing to prosecute German supporters of the “Islamic State” (IS) militia […]

Children & Teens

Anna, a young woman seeking love and Allah Elke Müller is fighting for her daughter Anna, who fell in love with a young Afghan and converted to Islam. Her mother spoke to DW about feeling alienated and her fear that Anna might become radicalized.

(Deutsche Welle) The day that Elke Müller dreads so much is not long off — the day her daughter Anna turns 18. “When she is of age, I can no longer legally hold her back,” Müller told DW. And then, she fears, […]

Academics & Education

Germany: Leading politicians call for a ‘European Islam’ Everyday measures are key to preserving the European way [of] life, say Germany's health minister and the premier of Schleswig-Holstein state. Jens Spahn and Daniel Günther want a faith that shares the continent's values.

(Deutsche Welle) Two senior German politicians have called for a more progressive form of Islam in order to align the religion with the European way of life. Health Minister Jens Spahn and Schleswig-Holstein State Premier Daniel Günther published the appeal Thursday in […]

Crime

German police launch raids on Iraqi organized crime gang Heavily armed police have carried out a series of coordinated raids on the homes of members of the 'Al-Salam-313' group. The targets are suspected of people smuggling as well as dealing in narcotics.

(Deutsche Welle) German police carried out early-morning raids at apartments in 11 cities on Wednesday as part of an operation targeting organized crime. Hundreds of officers were involved in the raids in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, focusing on the Cologne […]

Clothing

German ‘Shariah Police’ retrial starts in Wuppertal Seven men accused of forming a 'Shariah Police' brigade in western Germany have gone on trial. The group allegedly patrolled the streets of Wuppertal in orange vests, telling people to abstain from music and alcohol.

(Deutsche Welle) The retrial of seven alleged members of a self-proclaimed “Shariah Police” vigilante group began in the western city of Wuppertal on Monday. The men were cleared of wrongdoing in 2016, but the case is now being heard again following a […]