The Federal Interior Ministry (BMI) has called on the Turkish-German Islamic Union (DITIB), Germany’s largest mosque organization, to unequivocally distance itself from Islamism and antisemitism. A BMI spokesperson, speaking to “Welt” stated, “We expect a clear distancing from organizations and individuals who spread antisemitic narratives or pursue or support Islamist aspirations from cooperation partners of the federal government.
The continuation of collaboration with the organization will also depend on the extent of influence and control exerted by foreign governments-a requirement stipulated in the current coalition agreement. This year, the BMI is contributing €465,000 to the training of DITIB imams, a program designed to move away from reliance on imams directly dispatched by the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) and instead involve the Islam College Germany e.V.
The call for clarification follows a conference of Islamic scholars in Istanbul held late August. At the event, with the participation of Diyanet President Ali Erbas, a resolution was passed supporting the armed struggle of Hamas against Israel and calling for a “global jihad.
The BMI underscored that the situation “once again demonstrates how problematic the structural and personnel ties of DITIB to the Turkish religious authority are”. The ministry emphasized that fundamental conditions for collaboration with DITIB include a clear commitment to the values enshrined in the Basic Law, for fostering intercultural understanding, for the existence of Israel and a similarly clear commitment against both Islamism and antisemitism.
The objective of ending the dispatch of imams from Turkey remains a priority. However, the BMI cautions DITIB that the continuation of initiatives like the imam training program will crucially depend on DITIB’s behavior and the success of this process.
