20 July 2010

Muslims in Germany who want to quit extremist movements will be offered help finding new jobs and housing under a program started Monday by Germany’s domestic intelligence service. An agency spokeswoman said that users would be guaranteed confidentiality and help with security measures if they were threatened by radicals.

Germany began a similar programme for right-wing white extremists in 2001.

The intelligence service estimates there are more than 36,000 Islamically-oriented extremists in Germany, but only a fraction of those are considered potentially violent.

Participants and their family or friends can now find help via email or telephone with the new “HATIF” service, which stands for Heraus Aus Terrorismus und Islamistischem Fanatismus, or “Leaving terrorism and Islamist fanaticism.”

“Hatif” is also the Arabic word for telephone.

“The main goal of HATIF is to prevent violence in the name of Islam,” the intelligence agency the Verfassungsschutz said.

The service, offered in German, Turkish and Arabic, will provide safe options for those hoping to extract themselves from extremist circles, the agency said. It will not try in any way to lead people away from Islam.

Candidates and their families will receive help changing locations, seeking occupational qualifications and deflecting threats.

Experts believe that danger to those looking to turn away from Islamist extremists is extremely high. According to de Maizière, Islamists continue to keep Germany in their sights, with more than 29 such organisations active within the country.

Meanwhile the number of people thought to be Islamists has risen to 36,270 – up from 34,720 in 2008.

Countries like Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Singapore have also implemented deradicalization programs in recent years, but they mainly work with convicted terrorists in prisons, while Germany tries to reach out to extremists before they commit a crime, said Peter Neumann, an expert from the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence in London. He said there are no similar programs in other European countries so far.

“We know that in almost all of these groups, there are people who want to leave, but it is not easy to get out of such an environment,” he said. “It is great that Germany makes this offer — even though this definitely won’t lead to the end of radical Islam in Germany.”

Sources:

“Germany: Aid for Islamists Looking to Quit Movement” New York Times July 19, 2010

“Islamists offered way out of extremist groups” The Local – Germany July 19, 2010

Kirsten Griershaber, “Germany offers program for extremists to quit” Associated Press July 19, 2010