German authorities search Islamic association buildings

BERLIN – Authorities have searched buildings in western Germany in connection with an investigation of an Islamic association suspected of involvement in extremist activities.

The North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Ministry says some 250 police searched the Islamic association’s headquarters Tuesday in the city of Moenchengladbach, as well as 15 apartments where members lived. Laptops, phones, hard drives and documents were confiscated.

The ministry says the association is suspected of being a meeting place for dangerous extremists and promoting the fundamentalist Islamic Salafist ideology.

The searches came as the ministry investigates whether the association should be banned. There were no arrests.