Funding Concerns Over Islamic Organizations in Germany
Reports indicate that the German government allocated millions in taxpayer funds to Islamic organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
A document from the Berlin Federal Audit Office revealed that the German Federal Foreign Office allocated around 8.5 million euros (approximately $9.9 million) to the German Islamic Relief Fund (IRD) between 2013 and 2016, along with additional funds afterwards.
This funding comes despite the fact that the IRD’s parent organization, Islamic Relief Worldwide, was labeled a terrorist group by Israel in 2014, facing accusations of channeling resources to Hamas—a claim that the organization disputes. In 2009, a report from Germany’s Baden-Württemberg Constitutional Defense Agency also pointed out the IRD’s alleged connections to the radical Muslim Brotherhood, which aims to impose sharia law globally.
A government assessment from late 2019 found that the IRD had “significant personal ties to the Muslim Brotherhood or similar groups.” Following this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs halted funding to the organization.
The audit report detailing the government’s financial support for the IRD remained classified for over five years, with officials claiming that its release might provoke “controversy” that could undermine public debate and government welfare.
Eventually, the findings were made public following a lengthy legal battle led by lawyer Ceylan Atesh and the Secular Law Institute. According to the Die Welt newspaper, the initial audit report expressed confusion over how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs deemed the IRD a reputable charity worthy of substantial public funding.
The report also noted that the Ministry disregarded a 2009 directive prohibiting cooperation with the organization.
Another analysis highlighted that the Ministry had granted financial support to the IRD “blindly,” without properly checking the legality and economic efficiency of prior funding.
The law firm representing Islamic Relief Germany stated, “Our client has no connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, doesn’t identify as a member or supporter, and maintains no links with Hamas.” They asserted IRD’s independence from Islamic Relief Worldwide, emphasizing their focus on charitable fundraising.
This report has surfaced amid growing scrutiny of groups like the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. A recent intelligence report from France indicated that the Brotherhood has been strategically working to establish political Islamism in Western nations since the 1950s, aiming for an eventual theocracy.
The findings noted that approximately 280 Islamic organizations in France, including charities, are tied to the Brotherhood. Germany and Austria were identified as significant areas of activity for the group, being among the first countries where its presence in Europe took root.
In response to these insights, the Swedish government initiated its own probe into Islamist funding, with a focus on restricting foreign support for organizations that facilitate radical mosques and combatting “Islamist and non-democratic entities.”
