The small Alpine country has become an extremist hub, where Hamas enjoys support, Iranian intelligence maintains a significant presence, and jihadist groups such as the Islamic State are drawing members and planning attacks.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government faces daunting challenges due to the growth of the Islamic State and other extremist groups. Many of these challenges have arisen from Germany’s own problematic counterterrorism policies.
Mufid A. Elfgeeh is said to have been inspired by French-Algerian jihadist Mohamed Merah, who was trained in Pakistan by an al Qaeda leader.
A “German Camp” that caters to training and recruitment and serves as a magnet to attract German-speaking jihadists from Europe has been established in Syria.
Hezbollah’s European enablers have permitted the Lebanese terror group to flourish. Now the US Congress is urging the European Union to outlaw the group, which is responsible for the deaths of US and EU soldiers.
Al Qaeda supporter Muhammad Mahmoud has recruited German and Austrian Salafists to set up a “colony” in Egypt.
In the wake of bloody attacks on police in Bonn and Solingen, authorities slowly begin to crack down on radical Islamist organizations in Germany.