How is Germany Easing the Targeting Against Muslims?

Despite the common history between Germany and Turkiye and common major interests, Germany continues to turn a blind eye to the targeting of mosques on its territory, as well as continuing to provide financial and propaganda support to terrorist organizations targeting Turkiye and its citizens.

Moreover, Germany is providing protection and a safe haven for leaders and members of terrorist organizations, who roam freely over German and European territory.

According to a report by a human rights group active in Germany, more than 800 mosques in Germany have been threatened and attacked since 2014, yet in most cases, the crimes have not been properly investigated.

In addition to the laxity of successive German governments in holding perpetrators of racist crimes against Turks and Muslims accountable, German intelligence reports revealed that Germany has become a hotbed of organizations that continue to recruit young people and use financial and media resources to carry out terrorist acts targeting millions of Turks under the watchful eye of the German government.

 

Mosques Targeted

The report by the Brandeilig initiative of rights group FAIR International shows more than 800 mosques in Germany have been threatened and attacked since 2014.

The initiative, which established Germany's first reporting center for attacks on mosques, noted that it recorded nearly 840 incidents of assault, vandalism, and threats between 2014 and 2022.

A detailed analysis of the crimes in 2018 revealed that the perpetrators remained anonymous in most cases, leading to further attacks against Muslim worship sites from neo-Nazis or left-wing extremists, as of the 120 attacks recorded on mosques in 2018, the perpetrators were identified in only nine cases.

Brandeilig experts stressed that the rate was "a cause for concern," noting that at least 20 cases, including arson attacks, are suspected of causing death or significant bodily harm.

Germany, the second largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France (5.3 million Muslims, including 3 million Turks), has seen a rise in racism and hatred against Muslims in recent years, driven by propaganda by neo-Nazi groups and the far-right opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD).

 

Supporting Terrorism

The PKK terrorist organization received wide coverage in the German intelligence report, and in a 2021 report by the Organization for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany's local intelligence service, it devoted 10 pages to the terrorist organization and its activities within Germany.

According to the report presented in Berlin by Interior Minister Nancy Weiser and Constitution Protection Organization President Thomas Haldenwang, the main areas of the PKK terrorist organization's activity in Germany are primarily to provide logistical and financial support to the organization, recruit new members, and organize numerous large demonstrations and events for propaganda purposes.

According to the report, the PKK terrorist organization has 14,500 members in Germany, and the group has the largest number of members among foreign extremist organizations in Germany.

The report also noted that 295 people had left Germany to join the PKK terrorist organization since 2013, more than 30 of whom had died and some 150 had returned to Germany.

Turkish-German relations have been at odds for many years due to the latter's insistence on providing military, political, and media support to terrorist organizations targeting Turkiye and its security, as well as providing protection and safe haven to leaders and members of these organizations, who roam freely over German and European territory.

While Turkiye is working to fight the PKK terrorist organization vigorously, as well as pursuing members and leaders of the terrorist group Colin, which failed in its coup attempt in mid-July 2016, the West continues to pursue a policy of double standards in the fight against terrorism and its classification.

Although European countries, including Germany, which banned the group on its territory on November 22, 1993, designated the PKK a terrorist organization, they continue to provide the organization with a broad logistical base of action unhindered, particularly on the issue of financing and propaganda the group's activities and recruiting terrorist elements into its ranks.

 

Far Right

Sociologist and political scientist Yusuf Sari told Anadolu Agency: “In our opinion, one of the most important findings is that the mosque communities did not inform about this even though they had been attacked many times before.”

“Additionally, half of the attacks are from the far right, and in most cases, the perpetrators have not been caught.

“This means that the perpetrators still pose a threat to Muslims,” he said.

“It is also important to note that communities are often left alone after an attack and receive no help, both spiritual and material,” Sari noted.

He made suggestions for solutions to the problems mentioned in the report and explained his expectations from the German authorities: "As a first step, the current danger to Muslims should be accepted.”

“In general, we expect the authorities to do more in the fight against anti-Muslim racism. Solidarity with Muslim communities should increase, and mosque communities should be supported, including financial support, after an attack.

“But one of the most important points is the elucidation of cases and the capture of the perpetrators, otherwise this would be an incentive for the perpetrators," he said.

“We, of course, recorded the updated numbers and attacks,” Sari said, adding that they observe an increase in the number of attacks against mosques and Muslims.