German police raid suspected Islamic extremists in Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — Hundreds of German police officers conducted coordinated raids in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg in the investigation of an organization banned over allegations of Islamic extremism. The state Interior Ministry said 850 police, including SWAT teams, were involved in the early Thursday raids of apartments linked to members of the organization known as Jama’atu Berlin. The organization, whose name translates literally as the “Berlin Group,” was banned by state Interior Minister Andreas Geisel ahead of the raids on the grounds it was a “very radical” group that followed the Islamic State group’s ideology. The raids were meant to secure its assets and look for evidence and no arrests were announced.