by Soeren Kern • July 30th
"Salafists see themselves as defenders of an original, unadulterated Islam.... As a consequence, Salafists want to establish a 'theocracy' according to their interpretation of the rules of sharia, one in which the liberal democratic order no longer applies." — Annual Report of Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
"Under the guise of humanitarian aid, Islamists succeed in radicalizing migrants. In the past, Salafists in particular tried to reach out to migrants. They visited refugee shelters for this purpose and offered assistance. The target group was not only adult migrants, but also unaccompanied adolescents, who, due to their situation and age, are particularly susceptible to Salafist missionary activities." — Annual Report of Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV).
The BfV report makes a direct link between the increase in anti-Semitism in Germany and the rise of Islamist movements in the country: "The 'enemy image of Judaism' therefore forms a central pillar in the propaganda of all Islamist groups.... This poses a significant challenge to the peaceful and tolerant coexistence in Germany."
Pictured: Thousands of people listen as Salafist preacher Pierre Vogel speaks during a gathering of sympathizers on July 9, 2011 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Christian Augustin/Getty Images)
The number of Salafists in Germany has doubled over the last five years and now exceeds 10,000 for the first time, according to Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency. BfV estimates that Germany is home to more than 25,000 Islamists, nearly 2,000 of whom pose an immediate threat of attack.
The new figures are included the latest annual report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV), and presented by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer and BfV President Hans-Georg Maaßen in Berlin on July 24.
The report, considered the most important indicator of internal security in Germany, draws a bleak picture. The BfV estimates that the number of Islamists in Germany increased to at least 25,810 by the end of 2017, up from 24,425 in 2016.
by Uzay Bulut • July 30th
It appears that Pastor Andrew Brunson, as both an American and a Christian, has become a perfect scapegoat for the Turkish government and its media outlets. If Ankara were a genuine ally of the West, Brunson -- who lived and worked peacefully at a small Protestant church in Izmir for 23 years -- would not have been arrested in the first place, let alone robbed of his freedom and prevented from returning to the US.
Pastor Andrew Brunson (center) is transported from jail to house arrest in Izmir, Turkey, on July 25, 2018. (Image source: Ruptly video screenshot)
Andrew Brunson, the American pastor detained in Turkey for two years on false terrorism and espionage charges, was released from prison on July 25, only to be put under house arrest until the resumption of his trial in October. The court ordered him to wear an electronic ankle-bracelet at all times and banned him from traveling outside Turkey.
Moreover, according to the Washington Post's Carol D. Leonnig:
"President Trump thought he had a deal with Turkish President Erdogan to free Andrew Brunson, the American pastor imprisoned in Turkey for the last two years on what the administration considered bogus terrorism charges.
"As part of the deal, on July 14, Trump asked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to release Ebru Ozkan, 27, a Turkish woman who was detained in Israel on charges of acting as a smuggler for Hamas. The day after Trump and Netanyahu spoke, Ozkan was deported from Israel.
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