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Authorities plan exit scheme for Salafists

Published: 22 Dec 12 07:57 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20121222-46931.html

Authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia are the first in Germany to be working on an opt-out and prevention programme for Salafists, with the goal of reaching people before they get involved in radical Islamist groups.

Burkhard Freier, head of the state’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution, told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that it is difficult to get people out of radical groups once they’ve joined.

Freier said his office will work closely together with Muslim organisations to provide ways people can opt out of the groups before becoming too entrenched.

He wants Muslims in Germany to know that the opt out program is about getting out of radical groups and not “getting out of Islam, which we respect.”

His office estimates that the number of extremist Salafists in North Rhine-Westphalia has doubled this year to 1,000. The effort with local Muslim groups comes after attempts at using hotlines to get people to either not join or quit such groups were less than successful.

Militant Salafist groups have been in the news a lot lately. On Thursday such a group released a video calling on followers to take German hostages to free an Islamist now serving a six-year sentence for stabbing two policemen in Bonn in May.

Last week German prosecutors said they believe Islamist extremists were behind a botched bomb attempt at the Bonn train station.

The Local/DAPD/mw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

16:08 December 22, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
Would the better exit scheme not be deportation? If they don't like the Western Culture then there is always their own culture to move to elsewhere.
16:19 December 22, 2012 by Hillbask
GET RID OF THEM! How dare they come to Germany, be granted asylum, then threaten to do harm to the countrymen who shelter them. They do not belong here. Imagine bringing bodily harm upon a group of people in exchange for one of their own extremists being released after stabbing a German police. WRONG! That is one thing I envy about the German Constitution, the right to deny foreign people harbor if they so wish.
19:32 December 22, 2012 by owlguard
I was told there are two types of Muslims. One type wants world domination today and the other type says not yet. This may sound biast but it is the teaching of Islam. This is why it is so easy to move none violent muslims into radical groups. Islam is not a religion of peace, it is a religion of conquest just as its founder.
20:41 December 22, 2012 by danceswithgoats
You can't deport citizens. Look at the picture. Many of these Salafists are born and raised in Germany as Germans and convert to Islam. Nature abhors a vacuum. Mainstream German culture is so against Christianity that it is dying in Germany. The Salafists are filling the void. Humans are physical, intellectual and spiritual. Humanism is not spiritual.
09:31 December 23, 2012 by Zubair Khan
It looks very good move and encouraging scheme must be implemented. However here million dollar question would be which type of Islam will facilitate these extremists to reform their behaviour? Here in Germany for the reformation of societal behaviour of Muslims, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community tops the list in this regrad. All the departments of Germany know it an appreciate the community. Recently the Supreme head of the community was invited to select gathering of European parliamentarians. Just read some of his statements.

"Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the supreme head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, while addressing in European Parliament building on 04th of December said that in the modern world many people viewed Islam as a religion that promoted violence and extremism and blamed it for many of the conflicts taking place in various parts of the world. He said that such allegations were particularly unjust given that ¦quot;the very meanings of the world Islam are ¦#39;peace¦#39; and ¦#39;security¦#39;. In an other statement he said, Governments need to make policies that establish and protect mutual respect, through which hurting the sentiments of others or causing them any type of harm should be outlawed. He also said, Always remember that peace can only be established by helping both the oppressed and the oppressor in a manner that is completely impartial, free from vested interests and devoid of all enmity. Peace is made by giving all parties an equal platform and playing field. Hopefully those preparing such schemes for Muslims, for fruitful results, will consider to get benefits from Ahmadiyya Muslim community also.
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