Islamism

Islamism – in particular its terrorist form – has developed into a major threat posed to the internal security of the Federal Republic of Germany, too. Islamism is a political, mostly socio-revolutionary movement – heterogeneous in itself – which is supported by a minority of the Muslims. With reference to the original Islam of the 7th century, its adherents - the Islamists – are calling for the "reinstitution" of an "Islamic order", in their understanding the only legitimate state and social order which is to replace all other orders. Under this "Islamic order" all areas of life are to be shaped in a way bindingly laid down by God in the Koran and by the example of the Prophet and the early community (Sunna).


Militant Islamists feel legitimised to impose the "Islamic order" with violent means. In this context, they are referring to the call for the "Jihad" laid down in the Koran (originally: effort, internal struggle, also: "Holy War") which they - unlike other Muslims – interpret as a holy obligation to unceasingly fight against all the "enemies" of Islam both in Muslim and in non-Muslim countries.

In spite of existing ideological agreements, the Islamist organisations clearly differ as regards their attitude towards the use of violence. Extreme attitudes have been taken by Osama Bin Ladin's organisation "Al Qaeda" which has been overtly advocating the killing of Western citizens, and the German-based Turkish IGMG which wants to expand its influence primarily on a spiritual-cultural level.

Consequently, the various Islamist organisations can be distinguished by the methods and means used to achieve their objectives. Primarily, these are the groupings and "Mujahedin" networks which have been carrying out terrorist actions worldwide and are committed to the violent "Jihad" (Holy War); part of them is associated with Osama Bin Ladin's terrorist organisation "Al Qaeda". Also Islamist organisation striving to change the social system and the conditions of domination in their countries of origin with violent means (terrorist actions or guerrilla warfare) are in the focus of monitoring. In many cases, the members of these organisation have come to Germany as political refugees and are trying to support the struggle in the crisis region with logistic and propagandistic means from Germany. Thus, they are a potential threat for institutions and interests of their countries of origin also in Germany. A third category comprises organisations which, exploiting the instruments of the state of law (= legalist) are trying to impose Islamist positions in social life in Germany, as well, or at least to achieve freedom for organised Islamist activities in Germany and which are consequently contributing to disintegratingly establish an Islamist sub-society. Against this background it has become obvious that Islamism has to be dealt with in many different ways.

It has to be clearly emphasised that not Islam as a religion is being monitored by the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution, neither is the Muslims' personal faith nor their religious practise which is protected by the basic right to religious freedom as part of the free democratic basic order which is laid down in Art. 4 of the German Grundgesetz (the German constitution). Safeguarding this religious freedom of all the citizens –Muslims, too – is among the tasks of the Offices for the Protection of the Constitution.