It was a brilliant night for Real Madrid. The Royals defeated Manchester City on penalties to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Star defender and German international Antonio Rüdiger celebrated the victory in his own special way: He raised his index finger upwards, just like the Islamist terrorists from ISIS do, and shouted loudly “Allahu Akbar”.
💥WIE FEIERT RÜDIGER SEINEN SIEGTREFFER GESTERN ABEND IN DER CHAMPIONSLEAGUE?💥
— Peter Eckstein (@PeterEckst16656) April 19, 2024
Allahu Akbar!" verkündet Nationalspieler Antonio Rüdiger mit erhobenem Finger ☝🏾
Aber hey, das hat ja auch nichts mit nichts zu tun und wird ja von Islamisten vereinnahmt, nicht wahr?
🦅#TEAMHEIMAT🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/yK09V8ugRp
It is precisely the combination of this gesture and this call that Hamas terrorists, for example, used six months ago to murder their way through Israel, slaughtering more than 1,300 people and kidnapping hundreds of hostages in Gaza. That is why this symbolism is considered heavily controversial. Antonio Rüdiger had already posted a photo on Instagram at the beginning of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan with precisely this gesture, which is described by German security authorities as an “Islamist salute” or “ISIS gesture”. NIUS editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt was reported by Rüdiger for insulting him because he had criticised this pose.
The short scene of Antonio Rüdiger with the Islamist salute and the “Allahu Akbar” exclamation was captured by the cameras in the stadium. The video is now being used for propaganda purposes by one of the most dangerous Islamist groups in Germany.
The group in question is “Muslim Interactive”, which has also become known as the “TikTok terrorists” in recent weeks, for example due to reports in the tabloid Bild, because they have held several secret meetings, including one in Hamburg, where the founding of a caliphate, a Sharia state in Germany, was also discussed. However, this would first require the elimination of the democratic state. “Muslim Interactive” is considered an ultra-radical group with excellent connections to the violent Salafist scene.
Watch the NIUS documentary about the Islamist groups here:
Bei der Demonstration in Hamburg, bei der Taliban- und Al-Qaida-Flaggen geschwenkt und die „Ummah“ beschworen wurde, war auch die Gruppierung Muslim Interaktiv beteiligt. Wer das ist, haben wir im März in einem Recherchefilm dargelegt.
— Jan A. Karon (@jannibal_) October 28, 2023
Hier anschauen: https://t.co/smqOsq9BOB pic.twitter.com/pqqbjPhbQT
The group regularly spreads the foulest anti-Semitic slogans. It is precisely this group that is now advertising Antonio Rüdiger. “Muslim Interactive” posted the video on “X” and wrote: “In view of the dirty smear campaign against Rüdiger because of his Islamic beliefs, we repeat his words: Allahu Akbar.” “Muslim Interactive” also posted an emoji of the Islamist finger.
Antonio Rüdiger had previously said that his Ramadan photo was a completely normal gesture in prayer, but this is interpreted differently by numerous renowned Islam experts. Rüdiger’s appearance after the Real Madrid victory, on the other hand, cannot even be interpreted as a moment of prayer. Rather, the gesture in combination with the exclamation “Allahu Akbar” is almost inevitably reminiscent of Islamist celebrations.