Germany Bans 'Hezbollah-linked' Group - Hamburg Islamic Centre

Germany said it has banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre that was under investigation for several months, suspected of supporting Lebanon-based Hezbollah group's activities. The announcement was made by the Interior Ministry, in a statement, which said searches were being carried out Wednesday at 53 premises linked to the Muslim religious association.

Berlin, Germany:Germany on Wednesday banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre, a Muslim religious association that has been under investigation for several months over its alleged support for Lebanon's Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that it "banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre and its affiliated organisations throughout Germany to date, as it is an Islamist extremist organisation pursuing anti-constitutional objectives".

Accusing the group of being a "direct representative of the Iranian 'revolutionary leader'", the ministry said the centre also spreads Tehran's ideology "in an aggressive and militant manner".

The group is believed to propagate anti-Semitism, something that Germany has been battling to stem amid a jump in cases following Israel's war on Gaza in response to the deadly attack by Hamas militants on Israeli soil.

Investigators raided 53 properties believed linked to the centre across Germany on Wednesday.

Germany considers Hezbollah a "Shiite terrorist organisation" and in 2020 banned Hezbollah from carrying out activities on its soil.

The Hamburg Islamic Centre runs the Imam Ali Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, and calls have been growing in recent years for authorities to close it down because of its alleged links to Iran.

Founded by Iranian immigrants in 1953, the Hamburg Islamic Centre had already been under surveillance by domestic intelligence for some time.