Seven held in Germany amid probe over Islamic State financing

The suspects are accused of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation and, in some cases, of violating export laws.

Seven people held in Germany amid probe over terrorist organisation Islamic State financing iStock

The suspects – four women and three men, with German, Turkish, Moroccan and Kosovo citizenship – were arrested in five German states, while investigators searched 19 properties in Germany and one in the Netherlands, federal prosecutors added.

The suspects are accused of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation and, in some cases, of violating export laws.

Prosecutors allege that the suspects were “financial intermediaries” in a network in which two supporters of IS in Syria had sought donations for the group via Telegram since 2020.

They allegedly collected and helped transfer donations.

The money was used to strengthen IS and in particular to improve supplies to members of the group held at two camps in northern Syria, prosecutors said.

In some cases, they added, the money enabled inmates to flee or be smuggled out of the Al-Hol and Roj camps.

At least 65,000 euro (more than £56,000) was transferred to Syria by the financing network, according to prosecutors.

Wednesday’s arrests were linked to numerous other investigations into people accused of donating to the network, in which more than 90 other properties were being searched, they added.

Seven people have been arrested in raids across Germany targeting alleged members of a network that helped finance the so-called Islamic State (IS) extremist group’s activities in Syria, prosecutors said.

The suspects – four women and three men, with German, Turkish, Moroccan and Kosovo citizenship – were arrested in five German states, while investigators searched 19 properties in Germany and one in the Netherlands, federal prosecutors added.

The suspects are accused of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation and, in some cases, of violating export laws.

Prosecutors allege that the suspects were “financial intermediaries” in a network in which two supporters of IS in Syria had sought donations for the group via Telegram since 2020.

They allegedly collected and helped transfer donations.

The money was used to strengthen IS and in particular to improve supplies to members of the group held at two camps in northern Syria, prosecutors said.

In some cases, they added, the money enabled inmates to flee or be smuggled out of the Al-Hol and Roj camps.

At least 65,000 euro (more than £56,000) was transferred to Syria by the financing network, according to prosecutors.

Wednesday’s arrests were linked to numerous other investigations into people accused of donating to the network, in which more than 90 other properties were being searched, they added.

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