The head of Hesse's state intelligence agency said that halal shops are being monitored because they may attract fundamentalist Islamic customers. State intelligence services are closely monitoring the ultra-conservative Salafist scene in the central state of Hesse, including observing potential meeting places like fitness studios - or even halal shops, the president of Hesse’s intelligence services told DPA on Tuesday. Schäfer explained that such shops could be potential meeting places for the Salafist scene because their products are particularly valued by the movement. Bertrand explained that the Salafist scene is extremely active in recruitment efforts, and teenagers who go to stores alone are often solicited to join. Across Hesse, 4,150 people are considered by intelligence services to be Islamists, and of these 1,650 are classified as Salafists.

Source: The Local May 02, 2017 14:03 UTC