Germany: Federal Interior Minister Seehofer bans Salafist association Ansaar International

Berlin - Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CDU) banned the Salafist association Ansaar International and all sub-organizations on Wednesday. The ministry accuses the association of spreading a Salafist view of the world and of financing terror worldwide under the guise of humanitarian aid. “Anyone who allegedly collects donations for a good cause but then finances terrorists cannot hide behind our association law. Our security authorities are extremely vigilant and not blind in any way,” said Seehofer.

As the ministry announced, people and objects have been searched in ten federal states since the early hours of the morning. Raids took place in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein. More than 1,000 officers were deployed in ten countries across Germany for police operations. According to the ministry, around 150,000 euros in cash were initially confiscated.

Network of associations and individuals for terrorist financing
Ansaar International is said to have opposed the idea of ​​international understanding and the constitutional order. Activities and intentions of the association were directed against the criminal laws. Large parts of the money collected flow directly into terrorist organizations such as Jabhat al-Nusra or Al-Shabab.

To this end, she and her sub-organizations have created a network of associations and individuals. The organization is still trying to actively disseminate its Salafist ideas and Islamist extremist content.

It was only in February that the Islamist association “Jama'atu Berlin”, alias “Tauhid Berlin”, was banned and dissolved in Berlin. “This is a further and clear signal to all religious extremists. We are consistently fighting the roots of terror,” said the Berlin Senator for the Interior, Andreas Geisel (SPD), on the case at the time.

Source: Junge Freiheit