22 jihadists behind bars. Note the wide range of nationalities. The tiny minority of extremists certainly gets around. From AP, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
ULM, Germany — German police stepped up their crackdown on Islamic extremism Wednesday, detaining 22 people during raids of apartments and mosques allegedly used by a network that provided financing and other support to terrorists.About 700 officers searched dozens of apartments, mosques and call centers in five German states, discovering militant Islamic propaganda and forged passports and visas, authorities said.
The raids capped a long-term investigation of 20 people who allegedly raised money through smuggling and producing false papers to "pursue their ideological goals," said prosecutors in Munich, where authorities coordinated the probe.
The suspects included German citizens and nationals of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Bulgaria, Bavarian state police investigator Gerhard Zintl said. Their ages ranged from 17 to 46, and five of the suspects were female....
Still, members of the network allegedly had links with terror groups including Ansar al-Islam, an Al Qeda-linked faction believed to use its European operations to raise money and channel fighters to Iraq to fight U.S.-led coalition forces.
"Certain individuals had contacts to Ansar al-Islam and were trained in their camps," Zintl said without elaborating.
Officials said the "ideological center" of the network was in the Baden Wuerttemberg city of Ulm and the neighboring Bavarian city of Neu Ulm. The other raids were concentrated in Freiburg, Frankfurt, Duesseldorf and Bonn.
The suspects "equipped people with false documents, making possible illegal residency in the country and outside, and supported other like-minded groups," a statement from Munich prosecutors said. "In addition, they are accused of spreading their beliefs in racial hatred and recruiting people for jihad (holy war)."
I like the fact that AP is using the right terms of description: "militant Islam" and "radical Islamic" instead of insurgents, etc. This is even better that "terrorists." It's clear from the article that they are "ideological" and "Islamic."
The FOX article left out an amusing part of the AP report (see the Yahoo article: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=518&e=7&u=/ap/20050112/ap_on_re_eu/germany_islamic_extremists or http://tinylink.com/?FjAHiCPzlo )
"The Islamic Information Center in Ulm was among the sites that were searched. A reporter who went there Wednesday afternoon found the place closed and dark, with a sticker on the door saying 'Islam is peace.'"
Andrew:
What's the general public buzz about this? What are people saying or how are they reacting, or is it too soon to tell?
The general buzz here is none that I can find. Of my three local papers, the stories did not make the front page. The local news broadcasts are not looking at this with any degree of intensity at all.
This is typical of the German media. They naturally downplay such stories, while the authorities are working behind the scenes to put a finger in the dam here and there. The tsunami story is still going at ram speed (to use a Ben Hur metaphor), with fund raisers and talk show appearances all booked.No and I mean no mention of the Indonesian Islamist demands hampering the relief efforts.
So to answer the gist of the question, nothing to see here, move along, it's an abberation...yawn.
Thats my apprasial, but as I said, the authorities in Bavaria seem to be taking this seriously, Güenther Beckstein is not fooled and wants action, hence the Bavarian authorities initiating the investigation leading to the arrests of this racially ecclectic group of Moslems.
One thing I wondered from the final wording (considering the varied 'racial' make-up of the jihadis involved in this round-up):
"...spreading their belief in racial hatred...".
Unless, of course, the German journalist simply means "the human race".
In which case, I applaud their insight.
Maybe some Germans have some History they have looked at ???
http://www.zum.de/psm/rta/doa23a.php
Reichstagsakten 1888/89, 7. Lp., Vol. 121, Attachment 41: Collection of Documents pertaining the Uprising in East Africa, Report from the Imperial emissary in Brussels
Brussels, August 24th 1888
My Prince,
I ask Your Excellency to accept the dedication of three examples of lectures on slavery in Africa, which I have lately held in close succession in France, England and Belgium. I have desired, to speak on these severe and hurting questions also with the Imperial government and the christians in Germany, and I trust that you would not have remained insensitive to the horrible misery. But the condition of utter exertion, which I am in right now, prevents me presently to undertake yet another journey.
Therefore I dare, my Prince, to inform you in writing about what I cannot tell you by word of mouth.
In my function as mission bishop, dealing with the task of establishing missions in Africa's interior for more than 20 years now, and in exercising the spiritual jurisdiction over the interior regions of those parts of the eastern regions which have been transferred to the German Empire, I have the honour to address you in the interest of so many unfortunate souls, the aged pastor of whom I am.
The regions of Tabora and to the east of Lake Tanganyika, where my missionaries are active, among them 4 Germans, are when it comes to slavery, not more fortunate than other regions of Africa; they are even worse affected than many other areas. If Your Excellency will read the letter of one of my missionaries on the present appearance of the slave (p.409) market in Ujiji, you can imagine the horrors. This letter is quoted in notes 14 and 15 of my address which I held in London under the presidency of Lord Granville, and it is quoted in extract on pages 10 and 11 in the lecture I recently held in Brussels.
Ujiji is located in an area which belongs to the German zone.
I have to add, that in all parts of Ounyanyembe and on the roads which lead from Tanganyika through this region to the sea, on a daily basis slave caravans pass and provide horrible spectacles of gruesome scenes caused by the former. If the government of His Majesty the Kaiser wants so, it can easily remove these infamies, and so, first in christianity, give an example of effective suppression of the slave trade on land, which presently causes more damage on land than ever has been created by slave trade on the seas. A simple measure, which I have proposed in my lecture in Brussels for the Belgian Congo, the disarmament of the Arabs and Muslim bastards which lead the slave robbing bands, the number of whom does not exceed 200 or 300, and who, with their robbing negroes go on slave hunts in the interior and sell slaves on all markets, suffices to achieve this goal, in combination with the prohibition of the import of arms and gunpowder from the coast and to transport them by caravans. A small German force of 500 men, if it operates on its own, or a few skilled and resolute officers in command of troops raised among the blacks, as this is planned in Belgium for the western bank of the Tanganyika, suffice to execute such a decision. I have explained this on pages 29-32 of the lecture I held in Saint Gudule.
Legally the Congo Free State is not connected with Belgium; the King therefore can not dispatch regular troops there. So he has to call on volunteers. But the German Reich can do what Belgium can not. Its East African territories are not legally separated from the Reich, and it all depends on the Kaiser and the strict application of articles VI and IX of the principle Berlin Act. I ask Your Excellency to transmit my request to His Majesty. There is nothing which will attract God's grace more than such an act of mercy. Benedicto porituri, our holy scriptures say, super me veniebat.
I have just visited the grave of the great Livingstone in London, who has witnessed all these brutalities from close.
The English people have had his last words engraved on his tombstone in Westminster Abbey : "I can only ask that the rich blessings of heaven will benefit all those, who, whoever they may be, will contribute to exterminate
the horrible evil of slavery in this world."
I direct the same plea to God and I implore Him, that his blessing may benefit Your Excellency for what you will have done for the peoples who deserve our mercy.
In these feelings I have the honour, My Prince, to call myself your most humble and devoted servant
signed Ch. Cardinal Lavagerie
Archbishop of Carthagoo
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and ALL who Fight with them give them Strength, Wisdom, Sight, and Courage to stay the course to Victory to Destroy ALL Islamic Terrorist and ALL who Support them Amen
Thanks Catherine good document and very anti-dhirmi, these detentions are good but we have to prevent these problems and not allow that the beast grow up and grow up, greetings