Why do so many terrorists live in Hamburg?

[Dinner]

I was listening to this NPR report on their "Moring Edition" program detailing, what they say, is a series of contacts between a married muslim couple and the 7/7 bombers in London. What is more is German authorities and the CIA investigated the same couple after the 9/11 attacks but the Germans decided there wasn't enough evidence to arrest them.

A wedding video of this couple had several of the 9/11 attackers as well as Benalsheb (the "mastermind of 9/11"). Reportedly, the 7/7 attackers spoke with and revieved money from this muslim couple in Hamburg right before the 7/7 attacks.

So my question is why are there so many terrorists in the muslim community in Hamburg or at least what allowed Hamburg to become a center for international Islamic terrorism? What should be do to stop this terrorist activity? Can some thing be done to change the minds of individual muslim immigrants or is this, as many people have contended, an endemic part of the Islamic religion? What actions should the German government take to help crush this nexus of Islamic terror?

[BeBMan]

That's difficult to answer. Maybe you noticed that we currently have a manhunt underway after two bombs (just luck they didn't explode) were found in regional trains in Cologne. One suspect is id-ed (video) and in custody, he's a Lebanese living in Kiel, which is close to Hamburg, but the police thinks he wasn't alone, and that those others could still try something.

Why there are many of these guys in esp. Northern Germany is beyond me. Those who were responsible for 9/11 certainly built up their "community" in Hamburg over quite a long time, and before these attacks anti terror measures were not very strong so they could do it rather easily.

[Gangerolf]

I guess walking down Reeperbahn can make anyone turn into a hardcore islamist

[BeBMan]

[Ecthy]

It's not only terrorists.

I have a cousin who lives in Hamburg and whose girlfriend is Turkish. He thus knows a fair share of Turks in Hamburg, among many other Muslims, such as Iranians (don't ask), Kurds etc pp. It just seems Hamburg has a HUGE Muslim community. Well it's not one big community by organization, but there are just loads of them.

And in contrast to Berlin, these are mostly well-educated and earn a lot of money.

[Monk]

Yeah... I suppose that if the second largest city in Germany happens to be the same as the country's richest city and Bundesland, you'd want an office there no matter the nature of the international business you're running.

Historically speaking, Wikipedia suggests, Hamburg has been relatively open to other faiths and customs due to its status as an important port city. I suppose it makes sense that if foreigners help you bring in the bacon (or a kosher/halal equivalent), you would tend to accept their presence to a higher degree.

Well, that's the best I can do. Maybe you should just go with Gangerolf's bid, that seems logical too.