The mass and largely uncontrolled immigration since 2015 could lead to more clan crime in Germany and trigger a wave of crimes outside of large cities. Political scientist Mahmoud Jaraba (45) from the University of Erlangen warns about this in an interview with FOCUS online.

Clan researchers warn of the spread of criminal structures

But there are also other developments, warns Mahmoud Jaraba: “We are observing that among a small part of the Syrian immigrants have developed different criminal structures. These include family and relative-based groups, but also networks that function more through regional origins, personal relationships and loose alliances,” said the researcher to FOCUS online. There are also groups of young perpetrators and gangs.

“These structures can be found in many German cities today – in the west and in the east. The size ranges from small local groups to larger, nationally networked structures.” As long as the Syrian perpetrator groups are organized on a family basis, one could “To some extent we are talking about clan crime,” says Jaraba.

“Such structures are particularly active where trust, isolation and close social ties are crucial – especially in smuggling crimes, informal financial transfers via hawala systems, in drug trafficking and in violent crime,” the expert explained to FOCUS online.

“Politics, police and judiciary are once again reacting too late”

“Politicians, police and judiciary are once again reacting too late. The phenomenon is still being treated locally in many places, although it has long had nationwide dimensions and should be addressed strategically at the federal level,” warns Mahmoud Jaraba. “If action is only taken once these structures have solidified and spread, the decisive moment has usually already been missed.”

The political scientist is already seeing a dangerous spatial spread of the phenomenon. “Classic clan crime was initially concentrated in a few cities and environments – such as Berlin, the Ruhr area, Bremen or parts of Lower Saxony. The current development is broader. We see such structures today in significantly more cities, in the west and in the east of Germany.”

Jaraba cites “Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg or Leipzig” as examples – and he warns urgently: “Such developments arise gradually, not overnight. But my interviews and data clearly indicate that these structures will continue to spread if countermeasures are not taken early and consistently.”

Those responsible are far from that at the moment, and that could soon put Germany “in a catastrophic situation,” according to the clan researcher. “The state is noticeably overburdened in many areas – especially in the police, judiciary and social work. I wouldn’t speak of a complete state failure, but the existing resources are no longer sufficient in many places.”

Expert calls for faster procedures and greater control pressure

In order to reduce clan crime, “consistent law enforcement, quick procedures, more control pressure and close cooperation between the police, judiciary and authorities are needed,” says the researcher. “At the same time, preventative measures must be taken much earlier – in schools, in youth welfare, in polluted districts and in work with families.”

When asked by FOCUS online what role immigrants from other countries play in clan crime, the scientist said: “So far there has been a lack of reliable data and in-depth research.” But one thing is clear: “Not every migrant group crime is automatically clan crime. Particularly with immigrants from Afghanistan, the Maghreb states or East Africa, we often see loose networks, street environments or regional groups of perpetrators.”

The political scientist Mahmoud Jaraba is a research assistant at the Research Center for Islam and Law in Europe at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. He has written several books, most recently “The clans from al-Rashidiya. Arab families and their criminal networks” (CH Beck, 208 pages, 20 euros).