Hamburg Court Confirms Islamic Center as “Extremist Islamist” Organization

The Hamburg Administrative Court confirmed the Islamic Center of the city as an “extremist Islamist” organization.

Last Friday, June 30, 2023, the Hamburg Court issued a ruling regarding the city’s Islamic Center, known as the “Blue Mosque,” in which the classification of this Islamic center’s activities under the category of “extremist Islamist organizations” was confirmed.

Previously, the aforementioned Islamic Center had lodged a complaint against the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Germany, which had classified the Islamic center’s activities as Islamic extremism, filing a lawsuit. The Hamburg Administrative Court, following this complaint, issued its written ruling on the lawsuit after holding two oral hearings in April and May 2023.

According to reports from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Germany, the association supporting the “Blue Mosque,” which was identified as an extremist Islamist organization, pursues unconstitutional objectives. Additionally, it engages in propaganda regarding antisemitism, promotion of Islamic Republic ideology, and espionage against Iranian citizens in exile.

The aforementioned Islamic center is considered by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a base for the Iranian government in Europe and has been under surveillance for years. Hamburg local authorities expelled “Suleiman Mousavi-Far,” the deputy director of this center, last year due to his proximity to terrorist organizations. Mousavi was also accused of supporting Shiite extremist and terrorist organizations and sharing promotional videos with this purpose on Facebook.

It is worth noting that, according to statements from German authorities, Mousavi-Far, in addition to the aforementioned activities, was connected to two organizations that collected financial aid, which were in contact with representatives of Hezbollah in Lebanon. By sharing films and promotional photos of these organizations, he also paid tributes to Hezbollah casualties.

After resisting the court’s order to leave Germany (under the pretext of his children’s education), he eventually returned to Iran.