Berlin, Germany

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German authorities have ordered Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, the leader of the now-banned Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH), to leave the country within two weeks. Hamburg’s interior ministry said on Thursday (August 29) that Mofatteh must depart by September 11, or face deportation.

Who is Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh?

Mofatteh has been in charge of the IZH since the summer of 2018. According to Hamburg’s domestic intelligence agency, he served as the official representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Germany during his tenure at the IZH.

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Following Germany’s decision in July to ban the IZH and its affiliated organisations for "pursuing radical Islamist goals," social media platforms and websites linked to the IZH have also been blocked in the country.

Stricter security measures in Germany following deadly stabbing in Solingen

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German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Thursday (August 29) that the government will introduce stricter measures following a deadly stabbing at a festival in Solingen.

Faeser said, "tough measures" are being prepared to address the threat posed by such incidents. The new rules will include banning knives at festivals, sports events, and similar public gatherings.

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Additionally, the interior minister said that Germany would withhold benefits payments to migrants who are set to be deported to other European Union countries.

The announcement comes after the knife attack in Solingen during the "Festival of Diversity", where three people including two men aged 56 and 67 and a 56-year-old woman were killed and eight others injured by a 26-year-old Syrian man believed to have ties to the Islamic State group.

Who's the suspect behind Solingen stabbing?

The Syrian man, who arrived in Germany in December 2022 under a protected immigration status granted often given to those fleeing war-torn Syria, confessed to the crime and turned himself in.

The attack has intensified the ongoing debate over immigration in Germany and increased pressure on the government as elections approach.

(With inputs from agencies)