German Interior Minister's Reaction to Report on Islamist Groups' Activities in Turkey

Thomas de Maizière, the German Interior Minister, defended a leaked government report on Wednesday that identified Turkey as the "main hub of Islamist group activities." According to Reuters, tensions in relations between Germany and Turkey have escalated in recent months over various issues, one of which is the European Union's assistance to Turkey regarding refugees. Following the failed coup in Turkey, European countries have strongly criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's approach to suppressing dissent. The confidential German government report, published this week by the German TV network "ARD," states that Turkey has become the main hub for Islamist group activities and that Erdoğan has an ideological affinity with Hamas in Gaza, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and Syrian Islamist groups. The "ARD" network reported that this confidential report was prepared at the request of left-wing parliamentary parties and by the German Ministry of the Interior. In response to a question from the "RBB" news network about whether he regretted the publication of this report, de Maizière stated that there is no reason for regret. He added that the report only shows one aspect of Turkey, although Turkey has other aspects beyond this report. Previously, a spokesperson for the German Ministry of the Interior stated that the report was signed by the Deputy Minister of the Interior and that the Interior Minister and the Foreign Minister of Germany had no role in its preparation. Meanwhile, Turkey has strongly criticized this report. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the allegations in the report stem from confused minds targeting the President and government of Turkey. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, accusing Germany of having double standards, emphasized that the German government should better support Turkey in its fight against the PKK, a terrorist group listed by the EU and the US. The ministry also stated that it is clear that certain political circles in Germany with double standards are behind these allegations. German comedian Jan Böhmermann, in late March, read a poem mocking Erdoğan and his recent policies on the state-run "ZDF" channel. The Turkish government officially protested this poem and demanded the prosecution of the comedian.