Al Salam 313 (Arabic: السلام ٣١٣, lit. 'Peace 313') is a political organization and criminal gang of conservative Shia Iraqis in Western Europe. The gang was founded by the style of a motorcycle club by Mohammed Bunia in Germany. Salam 313 has members in Central and North Europe and is based on the ideology of the Iraqi Shia militia Sarāyā al-Salām (former Mahdi Army). The group threatens Iraqis in Europe who live a secular or Western lifestyle and speak against the religious Shia-led Iraqi government.

Background and connections

Mohammed Bunia is the founder and boss of Salam 313. "Al Salam" means peace; the numbers 313, is said by Shias to be the number of people that will accompany Muhammad al-Mahdi when he returns to the world. "Mahdi" is called the Redeemer, so he is seen as a kind of Messiah.[1]

The gang has a white dove as heraldic animal in their emblem. The white dove refers to the militia of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, Seraya al-Salam. They have pledged allegiance to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a faction of the Iraqi Army of Iraqi Armed Forces, without being under control of the Iraqi government.[2]

Gang members are known in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.[3]

Police assessment and action

In May 2019 German police took action against Al-Salam 313, targeting 34 suspects. 800 police officers including Spezialeinsatzkommandos and officers of state security searched a total of 49 residential properties in Cologne area and the Ruhr area.[4]

The gang is also seen in the context of Middle East family clans, involved in crime in Germany. The North Rhine-Westphalian state office of criminal investigation (LKA) saw no reason to put the merger on a par with "Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs", like "Hells Angels" and "Bandidos". The LKA also does not want to classify the group as "rocker-like".[5]

References

  1. ↑ Biesel, Matthias (December 8, 2017). "Brutaler Überfall: Teestuben-Besitzer ist Anführer der irakischen Rocker-Gruppe "Al-Salam 313"". www.derwesten.de. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Weltspiegel: Der lange Arm irakischer Milizen". tagesschau.de. Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  3. ↑ "Muslim biker gang raid in Germany: what do we know about Al-Salam-313?". Islam Media Analysis. May 23, 2019. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  4. ↑ ONLINE, ZEIT (May 22, 2019). ""Al-Salam-313": Razzia gegen Rockerorganisation in Nordrhein-Westfalen". Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved October 20, 2019 – via Die Zeit.
  5. ↑ "Rocker-Gang aus dem Irak: "Al Salam 313" im Visier der Polizei". vol.at. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
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