The German security services are sounding the alarm on Hezbollah. Are their charges substantial?
So apparently, the German federal police officials (BKA) have leaked a “secret report” that Hezbollah has the capacity to undertake damaging attacks in Germany. The BKA estimated the number of Hezbollah supporters in Germany to be 900.
I frankly don’t know what they mean by “Hezbollah supporters”. Of the tens of thousands of Arabs living in Germany, it is likely that at least half of them are “Hezbollah supporters”. At the same time, it is unlikely that 900 Hezbollah operatives have created “terrorist Sleeper cells” ready to strike at any time in Germany, for the simple reason that spending so much money to maintain such a large operation in a country that is not particularly “desirable” for Hezbollah doesn’t make any sense.
Many if not most of the Lebanese don’t buy the fact that Hezbollah has operational branches (except money laundering) outside of Lebanon. At the same time it doesn’t make sense that Hezbollah wants to antagonize Germany, the country that worked hard to play the mediator to secure the release of Samir Kuntar and the rest of the Arab prisoners from Israel.
In short, this entire story sounds fishy to me. It could be an attempt by the German security services to secure more funding by brandishing the potential threat of the terrorist-du-jour. But then again, that sounds too much like a conspiracy..
Hello, my name is Mustapha and I've been blogging about Lebanese society, business and politics since February 2005.
I agree with you, Mustapha, this is a BS report to justify jobs & additional funding…
Well, there is a Hezbollah HQ in Germany, apparently they have 900 active members. Btw: The German services were taken by surprise learning about the arrest of the student by Israeli security services.
Please do not forget that the US has still troops based in Germany which are probably the first target in case of an US/Israeli-Iranian conflict.
The argument of spending money for maintaining large operations is weak. So called sleepers do not get a monthly pay check from HB.
Did you know that HB wanted to buy about 3 years ago a building in Berlin opposite to the Federal German chancellery? It looks like if they have enough funds in Germany.
OK i get your point but why should Germany risk the presence of such people on their territory? They dont have any moral obligation to do so and historically speaking Hezbollah or Iran have attacked Jewish entities outside Lebanon. No country has or is willing to put up with their crap.
Cheers, Mustapha — long time no see! Hope everything is well with you these days
On to the question at hand: the Germans, in particular, have good reason to fear Hezbollah cells in their country. A German court determined that Hezbollah and Iran were responsible for the 1992 “Mykonos Restaurant” assassination, which killed 4 anti-regime Iranians. Of course, Hezbollah has also been credibly accused of carrying out attacks against Jewish targets in Argentina.
As a Lebanese movement, it is no doubt counterproductive for Hezbollah to conduct acts of terrorism in Europe — but Hezbollah has always been more than a Lebanese movement. European security experts are usually concerned that a deterioration of the West’s relationship with Iran could prompt Hezbollah to attack American or Israeli interests in Europe, or even European interests to deter those countries from supporting US or Israeli action. With tensions rising on Iran, that fear doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
Finally, with regards to the article you link to: it irresponsibly combines two separate facts. For a while, the BKA has declared that Hezbollah has supporters in Germany sending money back to the organization in Lebanon. They have estimated the number of the core group carrying out fund-raising at 900.
What is new is that the BKA says that Hezbollah has the ability “to carry out wide-scale attacks on physical and human targets” in Germany. However, it does not follow that those same 900 money men are also the people who would carry out terrorist attacks on German soil. Most likely, the number of people committed to military operations in Germany is unknown (because if it was known, they would be in jail)
@L: Most Shias came to Germany during the civil war. As they came from the South of Lebanon (at a time when HB was not known), they were granted a refugee status, meanwhile many of them have received a German passport. That´s one reason why the authorities cannot get rid of them. This group is growing as they bring family to Germany and they get more and more supporters among Sunnis fellows. The demonstrations during the 2006 war in Germany, were mainly organised by German Peace groups but were taken over (controlled) by HB during the march. It was surprising to see so many HB fellows everywhere.
For once I tend not agree with you Mustafa, and Kheir. I would not put it past Hizbullah to have cells inywhere in the world for they are not a Lebanese resistance mouvement but an Islamist one. The still has troops in Gernamany and it wouldn’t be the first time attacks on them takes place.
recent local history has proven taht the Hizb has no loyalty to his and people, I wouldn’t put anything pass them.
Mustapha,
Those in Germany are propbably more political supporters from the community rather than members of hizballah.
However I wouldn’t put it past hizballah to have cells anyhwere, I’m sure they have many in Iraq for instance.
Mustapha, you base these categorical assertions on… what exactly?
chill out tony, I qualified my post to death to avoid such accusations..
The reason Hizbullah has a lot of activity in Germany is becasue it is allowed relativly free and public activity there, while in other Europian countries it is more restricted. The Press in Israel ran a story today about an Israeli Palestinian, studing in an German Medical school, that was recruited by Hizbullah representative and payed 13,000 Euros for Agreeing to become an agent. The guy is currently in German custudy, I think.
Overall – the Arabs living in europe, especially in France and Germany are dumb enough to think that they have a “mutual” jew hating freind…so they think its ok to operate there under the guise of “mutual interests”
The “resistance” will be resisted at all costs
Today you can find a background report/analysis in a German newspaper about HB in Germany:
http://www.welt.de/politik/arti2318300/Die_Hisbollah_wird_in_Deutschland_unterschaetzt.html
unfortunately only in German language. Maybe someone wants to translate it? Basic arguments HB can retaliate an attack on Iran on US and Israeli targets in Germany. Some members of HB have been arrested in Paris with city maps from European capitals with targets etc. In Germany there are 30 Mosque- and cultural associations which are close to HB.