spot_img
28.6 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Germany bans fund-raising group over Islamist ‘terror financing’

- Advertisement -

Germany on Wednesday banned a purported aid organisation, Ansaar International, accusing it of collecting donations to help finance terrorism worldwide.

Germany bans fund-raising group over Islamist ‘terror financing’
Baden-Wuerttemberg’s state premier Winfried Kretschmann (right) of the Green party speaks near Thomas Strobl (left), chairman of the CDU, during the presentation of the results of the coalition talks between the Green party and the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on May 5, 2021 after regional elections in Baden-Wuerttemberg. AFP

The prohibition came along with a series of raids on properties in ten states, with investigators also seizing items.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer “has banned the association Ansaar International and its related organisations. The network finances terrorism worldwide with donations,” tweeted ministry spokesman Steve Alter.

“To fight terror, one must dry up its sources of money,” said Seehofer.

- Advertisement -

The NGO based in Duesseldorf says in its statutes that its purpose is to support projects for Muslims worldwide.

In 2018 alone, it collected 8 to 10 million euros in donations, according to its first chairman.

The interior ministry said however that the funds are in fact raised with the intention of financing foreign groups such as the Palestinian movement Hamas as well as the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab and Jabhat al-Nusra.

“Financial support, even for what at first glance appear to be charitable activities, secures the terrorist groups’ power and dominance in the respective region, facilitates the recruitment of activists, and saves the terrorist group money, which in turn can be used to carry out the crimes it plans,” said the ministry. 

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles