Germany may impose a “mosque tax” on its five million Muslims in a measure partly designed to ward off meddling by Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The levy would be modelled on the church tax, under which the state raises about €12 billion a year from 46 million Germans, which it gives to various Christian and Jewish organisations.
Under the plans, Muslims would be liable to pay an 8 or 9 per cent surcharge on their income tax which would be distributed to German Islamic groups.
Horst Seehofer, the interior minister, who said eight months ago that Islam did not belong to his country, wants to root out “foreign influences” that he believes pervade German Islam.
About a third of the 2,700 mosques in Germany are run by an Islamic group sponsored by Turkey and are accused of acting as a mouthpiece for President Erdogan’s regime. Some of its imams have allegedly informed on dissident tendencies among their worshippers and led prayers for Turkish victories against Kurdish forces in Syria. [The Times (£)] Read more
