Police in Germany have carried out raids on the financing network of the so-called “Islamic State” terror group, arresting several suspects.
Prosecutors in Karlsruhe on Wednesday said more than 1,000 federal and state police were involved in raids across several states on an alleged terrorist financing network.
Seven suspects were arrested on suspicion of collecting donations and forwarding them to the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) terror group.
The prosecutor said four of the arrests were made in North Rhine Westphalia, with one arrest each in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bremen.
The men and women, mostly of German nationality, were detained on suspicion of supporting a terrorist organization. They allegedly belonged to an international network that solicited financial donations for IS in Syria using platforms that included Telegram. They subsequently transferred the money to the group or its intermediaries.
According to investigators, at least 65,000 euros ($71,552.00) were transferred in this way. The money was allegedly used to support IS members imprisoned in Syria, in some cases allowing them to escape from detention.
Searches also took place in Berlin, Bavaria, Hamburg, Hesse, Thuringia, and Lower Saxony, with a further property raided in the Netherlands.
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