German govt bans I8k8 official websiteslamic organization

Germany has banned an Islamic organization for allegedly pursuing radical Shiite Islamist goals on behalf of Iran.

Germany's Interior Ministry said on Wednesday it had outlawed the Islamic Center Hamburg, which is known in German as Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg, or IZH, because of its "radical ideology".

"Today, we banned the Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg, which promotes an Islamist-extremist, totalitarian ideology in Germany," Reuters quoted Interior Minister Nancy Faeser as saying. "This Islamist ideology is opposed to human dignity, women's rights, an independent judiciary, and our democratic government."

She said the authorities had also banned IZH's subsidiary organizations, which include four mosques.

The government made the move after police searched 53 sites in eight German states early on Wednesday.

Faeser said the prohibition did not mean the nation was outlawing other Islamic organizations and she insisted "this ban absolutely does not apply to the peaceful practice of the Shiite religion".

A government statement added that an investigation had found "the purpose and activities of the association … including its sub-organizations, are directed against the constitutional order, against the idea of international understanding, and are contrary to criminal law".

The Hamburg-based IZH operated one of Germany's oldest mosques, the Blue Mosque, which was well known for its striking turquoise exterior. The organization also operated facilities in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and elsewhere.

The latest raids followed 55 searches in November that involved 800 police officers, after which the authorities said the organization was acting as a direct representative of Iran's government and was seeking to bring about an Islamic revolution in Germany and a regime change.

The government said at the time it also believed IZH promoted anti-Semitism and supported the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which is also banned in Germany.

The German news website Der Spiegel said the searches in the fall led to the seizure of documents, computers, mobile phones, and large sums of cash.

Germany's Office for the Protection of the Constitution said in its annual report released earlier this year that IZH was a "significant Iranian propaganda center in Europe" and that its director was "a well-trained representative of the current regime in Teheran".

The German television station NTV added that Hamburg's branch of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution had been monitoring IZH since 1993 and had branded it an "instrument of the Iranian government" in 2017.

The broadcaster said the organization's assets, including the Blue Mosque, will now become the property of the state.

Andy Grote, a member of Germany's upper chamber of the legislature representing Hamburg, wrote on X that "the Islamic Center Hamburg is now history".