Islamic Hezbollah has apparently been more active in Germany recently. Thorge Koehler, the head of the Bremen Constitution Protection, warned in the NDR politics magazine “Panorama 3” of the possibility of violent acts.
The war in the Middle East is causing an “emotionalization” among Hezbollah supporters, Koehler said. Such emotionalization could lead to individuals radicalizing and then possibly believing they must take action in Germany or other European countries, unlike the past when it was usually the case.
The Constitution Protection has observed that some Hezbollah sympathizers, after the death of the long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah at the end of September, have openly identified with him through funeral condolences, Koehler said. Until now, the supporters of the Hezbollah, which is listed as a terrorist organization in Germany, had largely kept a low profile.
In the context of the escalation in the Middle East, it cannot be ruled out that there will be “violent actions against Israeli and Jewish targets” in Europe – by individuals and small groups, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution told “Panorama 3”.
Even state terrorism on behalf of Iran seems possible to the Constitution Protection. Due to the escalation in the Middle East, “we must seriously reckon with the possibility that the Iran, when it comes to state terrorist activities, will not shy away from using any actors who offer themselves” said the Bremen Constitution Protection Chief Koehler. These actors would include not only Hezbollah supporters but also individuals from organized crime, “where the motto is: the end justifies the means.” The Shi’ite-Islamic Hezbollah was built up by Iran starting from 1982 and is still supported by Iran today.
Hezbollah supporters in Germany primarily gather in cultural associations of Lebanese migrants and Shi’ite-Islamic mosques. After research by “Panorama 3” the security authorities in Germany have observed more than 30 associations due to a possible connection to Hezbollah. The authorities have counted over 1,300 Hezbollah supporters across the country, as a search of the NDR at all state interior ministries revealed. The focus of Hezbollah lies in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Berlin.