German authorities outlawed three organizations accused of raising funds for the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, as Middle East tensions continue to produce ripple across much of Europe.
Bans against "German Lebanese Family", "People for Peace", and "Give Peace" already been pronounced mid-April but only came into effect on May 19, according to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
German Police also conducted early morning raids at locations believed to be connected to the three organizations across seven German states, including in Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Rhineland Palatinate.
"Those who support terrorism will not be safe in Germany, regardless of the garb in which their supporters appear, they will not find a place of retreat in our country," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer's spokesman said.
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Hezbollah members watch as the terrorist group's leader Hassan Nasrallah delivers an address via video
(Photo: AFP)
According to the Interior Ministry's assessment, the three banned groups collected donations for "martyr families" in Lebanon, including those who died fighting for Iran's Lebanese proxy.
In a well-worn tactic, German authorities accused the organizations of attempting to obfuscate their true intentions by projecting an image of collecting funds for religious or humanitarian goals.
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Demonstrators wave Hezbollah's flags in a pro-Palestinian gathering in Tehran, Iran
(Photo: AP)
Several European countries followed Germany's example in outlawing the Lebanese terrorist group, including Kosovo, Lithuania, Czechia and Slovenia.