Islamist extremism and Islamist terrorism

Islamist extremism is a form of political extremism that postulates the existence of a divinely ordained – and therefore “true” and absolute – order that overrides the orders made by man. The generic term covers several currents and movements which differ as to their ideological premises, their geographic orientation and their strategies and means.

Islamist extremism is based on the conviction that the world religion of Islam is not only a personal or private affair, but that it should also rule social life and the political order or regulate at least part of it. This is in clear contradiction to the principles of the sovereignty of the people, the separation of state and religion, freedom of expression and general equal rights, all of which are laid down in the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Referring to their religion, Islamist extremists strive to wholly or partly abolish the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is why Islamist extremism falls within the remit of the German domestic intelligence services.

Salafism

Salafism is a current of Islamist extremism that has been growing for years.

Salafists allege that their entire way of thinking and acting exclusively follows a literal understanding of the Koran and the Sunna (actions and sayings of the prophet that are recommended as a model to follow) as well as the example of the companions of the prophet, which is contrary to the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Ignoring the history of Islam and of Muslims almost entirely, Salafists claim exclusiveness as the only “true” Muslims.

The Salafist scene in Germany is currently going through what could be called a “consolidation phase”. Generally accepted leaders active throughout Germany who provide a sense of identification and direction do not exist (any more); the scene has undergone fragmentation. A few well-networked individuals exert influence chiefly at local and regional level. In public, the scene is rather keeping a low profile at present. Often, their ideology is hardly recognisable at first glance now.

Jihadist groups

Jihadist groups like Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda, for example, consider terrorist violence used against “nonbelievers” and supposedly corrupt regimes to be indispensable in their fight for a “theocracy”. Their terrorist agenda is a global one and presents a threat to many countries around the world.

With the fall of Baghuz (Syria), IS lost its last territory in 2019, and al-Qaeda has not gained any new momentum either. The lasting relevance of jihadist ideology has nonetheless manifested itself in the fact that there continue to be structures as well as followers and sympathisers and that there is extensive online propaganda.

Jihadist organisations still consider Germany an enemy, and the country remains one of their targets. A major threat emanates from inspired lone actors receiving instructions. In fact, the majority of attacks committed in Germany over the last few years have been perpetrated by lone actors or micro-groups inspired or instructed by others. Despite the limited capabilities left to IS, complex attacks motivated by Islamist extremism like the coordinated ones committed in Paris and Saint-Denis on 13 November 2015 cannot be ruled out.

Lone actors or micro-groups act on their own and/or without orders, even though the attack may be carried out in the interests of an Islamist terrorist group. A typical characteristic of that kind of attack is that they are often committed using everyday items. They are usually directed against symbolic and/or easily accessible “soft” targets. Lone actors seldom act in total isolation though. When planning and preparing their attacks, they often receive support and advice from members of terrorist organisations abroad.

Such attack plans are often preceded by Salafist radicalisation. Radicalisation is significantly influenced by propaganda, online contacts and activities undertaken by the Salafist scene and its preachers in Germany.

Violence-oriented groups

Although the Islamist extremist scene in Germany is strongly influenced by the Salafist and jihadist following, other Islamist extremist currents, some of which have many adherents, play an important role too.

These include the various branches of Islamist extremist organisations that use Germany as a safe haven for their Islamist terrorist activities abroad. The followers of such groups, e.g. of HAMAS and Hezbollah, which strive to eliminate the Jewish state of Israel, are focused on their regions of origin, which is where they commit most of their terrorist acts of violence.

Legalist groups

By exerting political and social influence, legalist movements try to impose an order they consider to be in conformity with Islam. They seek to change society in the long run, and they follow this strategy by trying to permeate society. Their ultimate aim is to establish a social and political system that is based on sharia.

The legalist groups active in Germany include organisations close to the Muslim Brotherhood, Shia associations such as the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), various groups belonging to the Millî Görüş movement and the Furkan Gemeinschaft (Furkan Eğitim ve Hizmet Vakfı).

Antisemitism in Islam

Antisemitism is an essential ideological element of all Islamist extremist currents. The vast majority of the Islamist extremist organisations active in Germany hold antisemitic ideas, which they disseminate using various channels. This presents a major challenge for peaceful and tolerant living together in Germany.

So far, there have only been a small number of physical attacks against Jews. However, the few cases that have become known still show that the ideological radicalisation and the incitement to hatred and violence fuelled by antisemitic ideas can lead to violent antisemitic excesses, even if the perpetrators are neither members nor followers of an Islamist extremist organisation.

To get an idea of the extent and of the various forms antisemitic propaganda and events can take in the Islamist extremist spectrum in Germany, the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), since late 2015, has registered the antisemitic incidents presumably motivated by Islamist extremism that the German domestic intelligence services have learnt of in the course of their work.

Organisations banned in Germany

Bans on associations are an important instrument in the fight against political and religious extremism; they show that the German democracy is determined and able to defend itself (“militant democracy”).
They make it possible to weaken organised structures and to confiscate financial and material assets. Openly anti-constitutional activities directed against the free democratic basic order are made more difficult, as is the continued commission of criminal offences. Furthermore, bans on associations have a deterrent effect, especially on their members and potential sympathisers.

The ministers of the interior of the federal states concerned and the Federal Minister of the Interior have the power to ban associations whose aims or activities contravene the criminal laws or are directed against the constitutional order or against the concept of international understanding. A ban takes effect and can be enforced as soon as the banning order has been delivered.

BfV provides an essential basis for banning measures by collecting often comprehensive material beforehand.