Germany Bans Three Islamist Salafist Groups

Germany said on Wednesday it had banned three Islamist Salafist groups which officials said aimed to sweep aside democracy and set up a system based on Sharia Islamic law.

The interior ministry said the bans, which come amid stepped-up observation of the Salafist community in Germany, took effect early Wednesday in the western states of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia.

The targeted organizations are "DawaFFM" and "Islamische Audios", as well as "An-Nussrah", which is part of the "Millatu Ibrahim" group that was already banned in June, a ministry statement said.

Searches were carried out at the homes of 20 people and property was seized, it added.

Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said the groups were seeking in an "aggressive militant" way to change society "in which democracy is to be replaced by a Salafist system and the rule of law by Sharia".

At the time of the "Millatu Ibrahim" network ban, hundreds of police raided more than 70 homes, schools and mosques across the country in a clamp-down on what one official described as "dangerous extremists".

It was not immediately clear how many members are in the three groups which were banned on Wednesday but German authorities estimate that there are about 4,500 Salafists in the country.

They espouse an austere form of Sunni Islam but officials in Germany accuse them of also condoning violence against state institutions.

The Salafists raised concern last year with their drive to convert non-Muslims, a campaign that involved handing out 25 million copies of the Koran in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.