The German government has banned a Salafist non-governmental organization called Ansaar accused of "financing Islamic terrorism" under the cover of humanitarian aid. German police raided the organization’s offices across the country.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced that Ansaar International e.V. has been banned saying that this network "finances terrorism around the world with donations".

"If you want to fight terrorism, you have to cut its funds," said Seehofer.

The German police raided several homes and garages in ten regions in the morning hours and confiscated a large number of materials belonging to the banned organization.

Founded in Düsseldorf in 2012, the Ansaar has been surveilled by the German authorities for the past few years. The Salafist organization was allegedly collecting donations for humanitarian aid to be sent to Syria, Yemen, the Gaza Strip, Somalia and Afghanistan.

However, according to the Ministry of Interior, the organization promoted "extremist Salafism" in Germany and children were subjected to religious "conversion".

BRANCHES IN TURKEY

It is reported that the donations collected by the associations within this network serve to finance terrorism through organizations such as Al Nusra in Syria, Hamas in Gaza, and Al Shabaab in Somalia. The organization carries out activities especially in Turkey and has accounts in Turkish banks. The organization’s web page says that it also has branches in Reyhanlı district of Hatay, southern Turkey.