In a major operation involving more than 1,000 federal and state police officers, seven suspects, accused of collecting money to send to the Islamic State group in Syria were arrested, informed German prosecutors on Wednesday.
The officers were involved in raids across several states to bust the terrorist financing network whose connection lay with the IS. The suspects – four Germans, a German-Moroccan dual national, one Kosovar and a Turkish citizen were arrested from North Rhine Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bremen region.
Notably, the raids also took place in Berlin, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse, Thuringia, and Lower Saxony with a lone property in the Netherlands targetted by the officers. Overall, 90 properties were raided as the authorities completed one of the biggest busts in recent times.
The prosecutors in Karlsruhe said the seven suspects acted as financial intermediaries and played a “central role” in the fundraising group. Since 2020, using the Telegram messaging service, they had been appealing for contributions.
At least $71,552 were transferred using this way and went to support IS members imprisoned in Syria. The money also allowed them to escape from detention in some cases.
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Stringent German laws on aiding terror outfits
According to German intelligence agencies, despite the peak phase of IS ending in 2016, there are extremists and IS cells active in both Iraq and Syria. Since early 2014, German citizens or residents who commit any act in favour of IS are subject to prosecution under the criminal code.
The law is stringent and prohibits any kind of social media activity or demonstration in favour of the terrorist group. raising money, material and recruitment of fighters is completely banned.
Lebanese national Hassan M. and German-Lebanese dual citizen Abdul-Latif W. were arrested in northern Germany. The former joined Hezbollah in 2004 while the latter was a relative rookie, having joined the outfit in 2016.
The pair is alleged to have represented Hezbollah in the Bremen region of northern Germany, handling organisation and logistics for the group.
(With inputs from agencies)
