Germany has banned a major Salafist group on charges of violating the constitution and for allegedly radicalizing young people.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere told a press conference in Berlin “The True Religion” group, also known as the “Lies Foundation”, had been banned Tuesday by his decision.
“This group was disseminating hate messages, anti-constitutional ideologies and radicalizing young people with conspiracy theories,” de Maiziere said, referring to the group’s campaign of distributing translated copies of Quran on the streets.
“So far, more than 140 young people travelled to Syria and Iraq to join terrorist groups fighting there, after they were influenced by this group’s campaigns,” he added.
German police raided more than 190 addresses across the country Tuesday and confiscated various documents, materials and equipment used by the group.