In Germany, Shia Criminal Biker Gang Named After Apocalyptic Prophecy Subject of Mass Raid by Cops

The new normal.

In a dawn raid, more than 500 police officers stormed 49 properties in eleven cities across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. What exactly do we know so far about the group that was targeted? DW investigates.

The objective of Wednesday's major raid on the Al-Salam-313 biker gang was to collect and prepare evidence, and its preparation took several months, said Herbert Reul, interior minister for the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The gang is suspected of having committed a variety of crimes ranging from illegal weapons trading, people smuggling, passport forgery, and drug distribution. Police have identified 34 suspects, who are mainly of Iraqi and Syrian descent. The minister said the raid dealt a "blow to organized crime."

Prior to the raid, DW had independently researched the group in connection to claims of its criminal dealings and threats on fellow Iraqi emigres. DW spoke, under conditions of anonymity, to one Iraqi national living in Germany, who said that the group had sent her death threats for leading a Western lifestyle. The person said she knew of other exiled Iraqis in Europe who also report having been intimidated by Al-Salam-313.
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The Al-Salam-313 group has a Facebook page... It also has published a seven-minute YouTube video featuring muscular gang members clad in leather vests and sunglasses. They show off luxury cars and motorbikes, driven in formation. Against the backdrop of dramatic music, gang members pose around their leader. Arms crossed, the leader looks into the camera and introduces himself. The video's subtitles read: "Peace be upon you. I'm Abu Mehdi (Mohammad Bunia) from Salam crew 313." He says the group was founded in 2016 and that it is active in several European countries, including Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. "We have no qualms with any human," he states. And then, presumably in reference to Iraqis who fled to Europe, says: "Those that come to Europe must behave."
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The leader then says his group exists to "help people, not cause problems." But he also claims that "some of you need a good beating, Arab style. And you know exactly what I mean by this."

I called several prominent American and British feminists for comment on this story, but they all ran away shrieking "Oh my God, the room is full of rape and the floor is made of penis!" I took that to mean that they found my question problematic.

(Diversity and Comics/Comics Matter joke.)

posted by Ace of Spades at 04:19 PM

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