German authorities raid IS financing network

Berlin, June 1

German police arrested seven suspected supporters of the Islamic State (IS) terror group in a nationwide raid, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor said.

The three men and four women allegedly worked as financial intermediaries, reports Xinhua news agency citing a statement issued by the Office.

"Through their collection of donations and their forwarding to IS, they played a central role within the financing network," the statement said.

At least 65,000 euros ($69,165) had been transferred to improve the supply of IS members detained in the northern Syrian camps of al Hol and al Roj, according to the statement.

"In some cases, the funds were used to help detainees escape or smuggle themselves out of the camps."

The investigating judge of the Federal Supreme Court (BGH) will decide if the defendants must be remanded in custody. German authorities are also investigating other people accused of donating cash to the network to benefit the IS.

As in other European countries, there are numerous IS returnees in Germany, who arrived from war-torn countries, such as Syria.

Many of them, including women and former child soldiers, are facing legal charges.

A 21-year-old Syrian with German citizenship is currently on trial before a German regional court.

He was taken to Syria by his mother in 2013, when he was only 11 years old before he was subsequently trained there by the IS.

The former child soldier's lawyer argued that the man was a victim himself.

He returned to Germany in October last year as part of a repatriation operation by the German government. Seven children and four women came with him at the time.

The children are "not to blame for the fatal life decisions of their parents". Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.

"They are ultimately also victims of the IS. We must therefore not leave them without prospects in the camps in northeastern Syria."

However, the women and the young man had to take responsibility for their actions, she said.