Germany arrests 7 alleged members of network that helped finance Islamic State

Berlin: Seven people were arrested in raids across Germany on Wednesday against alleged members of a network that helped finance the Islamic State extremist group's activities in Syria, prosecutors said.

The suspects four women and three men, with German, Turkish, Moroccan and Kosovo citizenship were arrested in five German states, while investigators searched 19 properties in Germany and one in the Netherlands, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

The suspects are accused of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation and, in some cases, of violating export laws.

Prosecutors allege that the suspects were "financial intermediaries" in a network in which two supporters of IS in Syria had sought donations for the group via Telegram since 2020. They allegedly collected and helped transfer donations.

The money was used to strengthen IS and in particular to improve supplies to members of the group held at two camps in northern Syria, prosecutors said. In some cases, they added, the money enabled inmates to flee or be smuggled out of the Al-Hol and Roj camps.

At least 65,000 euros (nearly USD 70,000) in total were transferred to Syria by the financing network, according to prosecutors.

Wednesday's arrests were linked to numerous other investigations of people accused of donating to the network, in which more than 90 other properties were being searched, they added. (AP)