BERLIN

The German Interior Ministry on Wednesday outlawed a Hamburg-based Islamic organization accused of being an “important Iranian propaganda center in Europe” and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, as police raided dozens of properties around the country.

“Today we banned the 'Islamic Center Hamburg', which propagates an Islamist, totalitarian ideology in Germany (...) In addition, the 'Islamic Center Hamburg' and its sub-organizations support the terrorists of 'Hizb Allah'... and spread aggressive anti-Semitism,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was quoted as saying in a statement from the Federal Interior Ministry.

The investigations have confirmed the serious suspicions so much that “we have imposed the ban today. We have thus put an end to the activities of these Islamists. This is another consistent step against Islamist extremism,” she added.

To enforce the prohibition order against the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and five sub-organizations, police officers searched the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) and the Imam Ali Mosque and other buildings in eight federal states early in the morning.

As a direct representative of the Iranian “revolutionary leader,” the IZH is spreading the ideology of the so-called “Islamic Revolution” in Germany in an aggressive and combative manner, according to the statement.

"It is very important to me to make a clear distinction: We are not acting against a religion,” said Faeser, adding that the peaceful practice of Shiite faith and religion is explicitly not affected by the ban.

The ministry said a total of four Shiite mosques would be closed as a result of the ban.

There are an estimated 150 to 200 Shiite communities in Germany.​​​​​​​

According to the announcement, a total of 53 properties in Hamburg, Bremen, Berlin, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria were raided following the ban.​​​​​​​