Srinagar, July 30: Agha Syed Hassan, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman Sharia Shian and head of the Interfaith Dialogue Chapter, has strongly condemned the recent raids on the Hamburg Islamic Centre and its affiliated institutions by German authorities. He described these actions as deliberate attacks on religious freedom, aimed at perplexing and disrupting the lives of community members, thereby creating unnecessary tension and fear.
Agha Hassan in a statement issued here highlighted the historical significance of the Hamburg Islamic Centre. “The centre has a 70-year legacy as one of Germany’s oldest and most respected Islamic institutions,” he said. “The centre, closely associated with the revered Shia authority Ayatollah Boroujerdi, has served as a religious sanctuary and a hub for cultural and educational activities, promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding among diverse communities.”
He expressed deep concern over the “unjustified” actions of the German police and judicial authorities, saying the raids violate universally accepted principles of religious freedom and expression, which are foundational to democratic societies and enshrined in international human rights laws. “Targeting the Hamburg Islamic Centre undermines these principles and erodes the trust and goodwill the Muslim community in Germany has built over decades,” he said.
The J&K Shia leader criticised the raids as a poorly conceived strategy. “Instead of addressing legitimate security concerns, these raids benefit extremists and supporters of terrorism. Such actions provide a propaganda tool for extremists, thereby increasing fear and alienation among ordinary Muslims, who may feel that their religious freedoms are under siege,” he said.
He also highlighted the broader geopolitical implications of these raids, saying, “The only entity to welcome this aggression is Israel’s government which is using the situation to divert global attention from its actions against Palestinians.”
Agha Hassan urged the international community to recognise the detrimental impact of these raids and to hold the German government accountable for any adverse outcomes. “Such actions undermine the values of tolerance and coexistence essential for peaceful societies,” he said.