Germany investigates alleged Hezbollah network

Shafaq News/ German authorities have been investigating an alleged Hezbollah presence in northern Germany, where the group is reported to have ties to mosques, cultural centers, and youth organizations. According to The National report, this network has been used to facilitate fundraising, procure military equipment, and extend its influence in Europe.
The report indicated that the network, which is believed to have over 1,200 supporters across Germany, has been under close scrutiny. It had reportedly been overseen by Hassan Nasrallah, the former Hezbollah leader who was assassinated in September 2024.
A breakthrough in the investigation came when authorities discovered a discarded note in a restroom wastebasket, leading to the identification of key individuals, including a man identified as "Hassan M." Following extensive inquiries, multiple arrests were made, including "Fadel R.," who was suspected of coordinating the recruitment of Shiite clerics to Germany. Another suspect, "Fadel Z.," was detained on suspicion of involvement in smuggling drone components.
As regional tensions escalated in 2023, German authorities intensified efforts to investigate Hezbollah’s activities, leading to arrests of individuals suspected of involvement in financing, recruitment, and media operations. In December 2024, the German government banned the broadcast of Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV channel. Additionally, the Islamic Center in Hamburg and the Blue Mosque were closed, and security forces carried out nationwide raids on over 50 locations.
One of the reported methods used to expand Hezbollah’s influence has been the establishment of scouting groups within cultural associations and mosques. Operating under the name Imam Mahdi Scouts, these groups publicly present themselves as providers of educational and recreational programs for children and youth. However, investigations suggest they have been used as a recruitment tool.
Court documents reference the case of Abdul, a scouting leader in Bremen, who was sentenced to three years in prison for organizing activities linked to Hezbollah. Another individual, "Hassan M.," received a five-and-a-half-year sentence, marking the first conviction of its kind in Germany.