German authorities banned three groups accused of funding Hezbollah terrorist group

German authorities banned three groups accused of funding Hezbollah terrorist group

Germany’s Interior Ministry on Wednesday banned three entities accused of raising funds for the EU and US-designated terrorist movement Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Police raided pro-Hezbollah associations in seven German states, which spanned Hamburg, Hesse, North-Rhine Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate

“Those who support terror will not be safe in Germany. No matter in what guise our supporters appear, they will not find a place of refuge in our country,” a ministry spokesman said.

The German news organization Tagesschau reported that sources from the Interior Ministry said because Hezbollah supports the family members of Hezbollah members who died, the organizations pursue the goal of destroying the state of Israel.

The ministry imposed bans on the German Lebanese Family, People for Peace and Give Peace on Wednesday. The proscriptions of the three entities were passed in April.

The German names of the pro-Hezbollah associations are “Deutsche Libanesische Familie,” “Menschen für Menschen” and “Gib Frieden.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran, the world’s leading state-sponsor of international terrorism, according to the US State Department, is the chief sponsor of Hezbollah.

German officials said the three pro-Hezbollah organizations fundraised for “martyr families” in Lebanon whose family members led terrorism attacks against Israelis and other people. According to Tagesschau, the banned German associations used PayPal, Western Union and straight cash payments to finance the terrorist entity Hezbollah.

In 2020, the ministry banned all Hezbollah activities within German territory.

The Jerusalem Post reported last week that Hezbollah has 250 members and supporters in Berlin, according to a newly released intelligence report. According to the intelligence report, there was an increase of pro-Iranian regime supporters from 40 in 2019 to 50 in 2020 and a rise of Iranian regime-backed Hamas members from 70 in 2019 to 80 in 2020.

The Post first reported in 2020 that the Hezbollah-controlled Al-Mustafa community center in the northern German city of Bremen funnels money to the Lebanese-based terrorist movement.

The Post reported exclusively in 2019 that the Hezbollah mosque in the German city of Münster posted a shocking video on its Facebook page, announcing it was proud of terrorism and its allegiance to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Source: JP