BERLIN // German authorities have banned an organisation they say has raised millions of dollars for the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah, which the European Union considers a terrorist organisation.
Emily Haber, a deputy interior minister, said police raided 19 locations on Tuesday in six German states used by the so-called “Orphaned Children Project — Lebanon.”
They seized 40 boxes of evidence, including Hizbollah paraphernalia, “many kilograms” of gold coins and two bank accounts containing about $90,000 in total.
Ms Haber says the organisation has about 80 members in Germany and has raised some $4.5 million for the Shahid Foundation since 2007. The Lebanon-based organisation, whose name means “martyrs’ foundation,” has well-known links to Hizbollah and provides financial support to the families of slain fighters.
* Associated Press
