VIENNA,
February 16 (IslamOnline.net) – German states race to enforce the
new immigration law on Muslim immigrants in Germany as if it was
especially tailored for them.
Days
after the law went into effect at the beginning of this year, German
states rushed to prepare lists of thousands of Muslim immigrants --
whom the German authorities dubbed as suspects -- for immediate
deportation.
In
no time, German states have started deporting dozens of the so-called
“suspects.”
Bavarian
Prime Minister Gunter Beckstein, told Der Spiegel magazine
earlier in the week that his state has already begun shipping out
immigrants under the new law.
Beckstein
was in the vanguard of officials attacking Muslims, accusing the
sizable Turkish community of living in “parallel societies” with
their own cultural and social activities.
The
state of Hessen followed suit deporting ten imams since the beginning
of this month. Authorities charged the imams of preaching religious
hatred.
Other
immigrants were also expelled from the state for being involved in
“extremist activities.”
Last
week, a spokesman for the German Interior Ministry in Metropolitan
Berlin boasted that the new law makes it easy for federal authorities
to deport any “suspect.”
Under
the new immigration law, German authorities are entitled to kick out
foreigners, especially Muslim imams, back to their countries of origin
if security agencies view them as posing a threat to national
security.
The
measure restricts the deportees’ right to appeal or challenge any
expulsion decision. Under the law, immigrants are additionally bound
to attend language and culture classes.
Pundits
believe that the law is quite vague as it falls short of giving a
clear definition of “suspects” and the whole thing is based on
authorities’ speculations and premonitions.
It
further gives sweeping powers to anti-Muslim and xenophobic officials
as state premiers and interior ministers can use it without having to
consult first with the federal government.
It
seems as if the law regards all imams in the country as suspects until
proven otherwise, which undermines earnest Muslim efforts to integrate
into German society, IslamOnline.net correspondent says.
He
adds that the absence of an official body speaking in unison in the
name of the Muslim community helped pass the new “draconian” law.
Raids
The
deportations’ drive, which was passionately welcomed by right-wing
politicians and media, came in parallel with massive police raids on
resident Islamists.
Earlier
in the month, police stormed 35 homes owned by 24 Arabs, arresting 20
of them.
They
have been accused of receiving funds from bodies suspected of having
links with “terrorist groups”.
