Three weeks after the ban: Hamas and Samidoun supporters' homes raided
Over three weeks ago, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser issued bans on the Islamist group Hamas and the Palestinian network Samidoun. Recently, homes of suspected supporters in four federal states have been raided as a part of enforcing these bans. The raids, which occurred on Thursday, targeted 15 properties in Berlin, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein.
Faeser's decision to ban Hamas' activities and Samidoun's German branch was announced by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) shortly after the terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel on October 7. The purpose of the bans, according to Scholz, was presumably to send a political sign against Hamas' barbaric terror acts against Israel.
On this particular day, searches were ordered by the competent administrative courts to enforce the bans and further examine the banned structures of these groups. In Berlin, eleven locations were targeted to seize evidence and assets. According to a police spokeswoman, searches were carried out in Münster and Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, and one individual's home in Lower Saxony's jurisdiction. However, no arrests were made in the latter.
"We are continuing our consistent action against radical Islamists," said Faeser. She emphasized: "By banning Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any glorification or support of Hamas' terror against Israel."
Samidoun is known for advocating for the use of violence to enforce political views and supporting associations that threaten attacks. Since a long time, the German security authorities have been monitoring the "Samidoun - Palestinian Solidarity Network" association. Their supporters attracted public attention in October 7, 2023, by distributing sweets on the streets as a joyful expression of support for the Hamas attack in Neukölln, Berlin.
The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution estimates that Hamas has around 450 members in Germany. Their activities involve expressions of sympathy and propaganda, as well as the collection of donations. However, unlike Islamist terrorist groups like al-Qaeda or Islamic State (IS), Hamas does not carry out attacks in Western countries - rather, they exclusively target Israel and the Palestinian territories.
German officials fear that the Gaza war might increase the risk of attacks by supporters of other terrorist organizations and radicalized individual perpetrators. The Islamist Hamas has its origins in the Muslim Brotherhood, which strives for an Islamic state and has been classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and US for years.
The Samidoun network is closely tied to the secular Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The Senate Interior Administration in Berlin deployed approximately 300 police officers to suppress any potential unrest during the raids, and the focus was primarily on the homes of supporters and a Palestinian association's premises.
The bans and searches aim to prevent further radicalization, disrupt terrorist activities within Germany, and protect democratic values. The German authorities are likely carrying out these actions under the authority of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which is responsible for monitoring and countering threats to national security, including terrorism and extremism.
