Merkur: Anti-Semitism as a “driver of radicalization”: Expert warns of Hamas attacks in Germany
"Overall, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to radicalize various milieus, including the Islamist extremist milieu," says terror expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, Director of the Counter Extremism Project in Berlin, in an interview with Ippen.Media's Münchner Merkur. The number of people who are open to Hamas propaganda narratives is growing rapidly in Germany, Europe and North America. This also increases the risk of possible acts of violence and attacks, according to Schindler. Anti-Semitic narratives, often renamed "anti-Zionism" in their current form, are becoming increasingly normalized: "This is also a driver of radicalization." He sees the latest arrests in Berlin as confirmation of this theory. "Since the summer of 2023, the terrorist group has apparently been trying to carry out attacks in Germany and Berlin in particular." Meanwhile, pressure is increasing on Hamas, which is losing supporters following the fall of the Assad regime and the weakening of Iran. "Unfortunately, it can be assumed that the terrorist group will continue to try to carry out terrorist activities in Europe," believes Schindler.

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