Germany has banned the Islamic Center Hamburg, accusing it of being an extremist organization that supports Hezbollah and acts as a front for Iran’s supreme leader. The group, also known as the I.Z.H., has been under investigation for years for its alleged links to Hezbollah, which was outlawed in Germany in 2020.
The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, stated that the Islamic Center Hamburg promotes an Islamist extremist ideology and supports Hezbollah while spreading antisemitism. Following the ban, authorities conducted court-ordered searches of 53 properties associated with the I.Z.H. across Germany, seizing the organization’s assets. Additionally, four Shiite mosques, including the Blue Mosque in Hamburg, the group’s headquarters, will be shut down.
The Blue Mosque in Hamburg is recognized as a significant center of the Shiite Muslim community in Europe. The German interior ministry described the I.Z.H. as a direct representative of Iran’s supreme leader, aiming to instigate an Islamic revolution in Germany.
Established in 1953, the Islamic Center Hamburg has denied allegations of extremism and violence in the past. Despite its denial, the group failed to challenge the German government’s assertion that it was controlled by Iran. The I.Z.H. claimed to condemn violence and extremism, emphasizing peace, tolerance, and interfaith dialogue in a statement last year.
The ban and searches were prompted by evidence discovered during searches in November, where authorities seized cash, laptops, and cellphones from numerous locations associated with the Islamic Center Hamburg.
