A Berlin mosque believed connected to the Tunisian national who committed the deadly attack on the Berlin Christmas market in December was raided by police along with 23 other sites in the city and nearby communities early Tuesday.
Prosecutors said the Fussilet 33 mosque, which was banned earlier this month, was suspected of being a meeting point for radical Islamists, Deutsche Welle reported. The Islamic State group is suspected of using the mosque to recruit and collect money for jihadists in Syria, Times of Israel reported.
More than 400 police officers were involved in the raids, which included 15 apartments and two commercial properties, as well as six prison cells.
Fussilet 33’s assets were seized. The organization not only is banned but also is prohibited from reorganizing under a new name.
“With this strike against Islamist terrorism, Berlin is sending a clear signal that people who act against our free democratic basic order, people who are committing violent acts or preaching violence don’t have a place in this city,” Berlin State Interior Minister Andreas Geisel told a news conference.
“Inflammatory ideologues aren’t welcome in Berlin. Whoever thinks that they can call for violence or support others [who do] in our city needs to know: We are watching you, and we will take care of you the exact same way we’re taking care of the Fusilet 33 association.”
Geisel said items seized in the raids could help authorities prevent future attacks.
Christmas market attack suspect Anis Amri was believed to have visited the Berlin mosque at least five times, the final time about an hour before he hijacked a truck Dec. 19, killing its driver, and then plowed the vehicle into the crowded, central Berlin market, killing 11 more people and injuring 50, Dec. 19, 2016. Photo: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters
Christmas market attack suspect Anis Amri was believed to have visited the mosque, in the working class Moabit neighborhood, at least five times, the final time about an hour before he hijacked a truck Dec. 19, killing its driver, and then plowed the vehicle into the crowded, central Berlin market, killing 11 more people and injuring 50. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
Amri, a Tunisian asylum-seeker, fled to Italy and was shot to death by police. He also was known to associate with radical cleric Abu Walaa.
The attack focused attention on radical Muslim groups. German security authorities say such groups are posing a mounting challenge in the fight against violent Islamist ideology and terrorism because of laws that protect religious groups.
The mosque shut down last week and police kept a camera trained on its entrance. Geisel said several Fussilet 33 figures already were under investigation for allegedly supporting terrorist abroad or preparing acts of terrorism. The suspects include imams and members of Fusillet 33’s board, the BBC reported.
State Secretary Torsten Akmann said Fussilet 33 and its members “hailed the armed jihad and religiously motivated terrorism,” the Wall Street Journal reported.
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