Operation in Germany/ 7 ISIS supporters are arrested, among them Albanians

The German Federal Prosecutor's Office has arrested seven suspected supporters of the terrorist organization "Islamic State". The defendants are mainly of German nationality, but also Kosovar, Moroccan and Turkish, reports Deutsche Welle.

Seven suspected supporters of the jihadist militia "Islamic State" (IS) have been arrested in several German federal states. According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe, checks were also carried out in ten states.

More than 1,000 people from the Federal Criminal Police Office, regional judicial police offices and the police were mobilized. In total, they searched more than 100 facilities in Berlin, Bavaria, Bremen, Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, Hessen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Thuringia, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in the Netherlands. It was about an IS financing network.

Terrorist activities supported by donations?

According to reports, four of the arrests took place in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, another in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bremen. Three men and four women are accused by the General Prosecutor of supporting a terrorist organization. The defendants are mainly of German nationality, but among them there are also Kosovars, Moroccans and Turks.

They are believed to be involved in the network as financial intermediaries. "By collecting donations and passing them on to IS, they played a key role within the funding network," the statement said. They are accused of encouraging the terrorist activities of ISIS through donations.

The men and women must appear before the investigating judge of the Federal High Court on Wednesday and Thursday. She will decide whether they should be remanded in custody. Investigators accuse other defendants of having paid money into the financing network in favor of IS.

At least 65 thousand euros have been collected

Since 2020, two IS supporters have been facilitating money transfers from Syria through the online service Telegram, the Federal Prosecutor's office said. "Financial intermediaries joined the network, collected funds and made available digital donation accounts or funds." The money collected would have been transferred to IS members in Syria or intermediaries appointed by them – at least 65,000 euros in total.

According to reports, the payments were used to strengthen ISIS. "The funds were used in particular to improve the supply conditions for members of the group detained in Al-Hol and Roj camps in northern Syria," the Federal Prosecutor's office explained. "In part, the funds enabled prisoners to escape or be smuggled out of the camps."

Women returned from IS

Fushatat në rrjetet sociale me tituj si “Motra jote në kamp” kanë nisur prej disa vitesh. Ata synojnë të mbështesin financiarisht gratë e IS që kanë jetuar me fëmijët e tyre në Siri që nga disfata ushtarake e milicisë terroriste, veçanërisht në kampin Al-Hol të kontrolluar nga grupet kurde.

Ka pasur rregullisht informacione për gra, fëmijë dhe adoleshentë që ende ndjehen të lidhur me IS dhe të cilët janë nxjerrë kontrabandë nga kampi në këmbim të pagesës së shumave të mëdha parash. Në mesin e dhjetëra grave të IS që janë kthyer në Gjermani vitet e fundit, disa janë arrestuar dhe gjykuar pas mbërritjes. Disa prej tyre mbërritën në Gjermani përmes operacioneve të riatdhesimit nga Siria me fëmijët e tyre, të tjerët u dëbuan ose janë kthyer vetë

Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann welcomed the nationwide raid: "We are acting resolutely against Islamist terrorism," the FDP politician tweeted.

Since the beginning of January 2014, in accordance with the Criminal Code, actions committed by members or supporters of IS, German citizens, who reside in Germany or carry out activities there, may be subject to criminal prosecution. In addition, on September 12, 2014, the Ministry of the Interior issued a ban on IS activity in Germany.

This includes, among others, any participation in social media and demonstrations in favor of IS and any kind of support act such as collecting money and materials as well as recruiting fighters. These acts are already punishable./tagesschau