The key facts

  • Issa Remmo attended the European Parliament conference as a 'state guest'; his appearance caused a stir in Germany
  • According to Bild, the invitation came from EPP politician Céline Imarde and imam Hassen Chalgoumi; the organizers allegedly did not know about Remmo's clan past
  • In 2023, five young men from the Remmo clan were convicted of the robbery of the Green Vault in Dresden

Appearance in Brussels

Issa Remmo, a 58-year-old resident of Berlin who is considered the head of the so-called Remmo clan, took part in a conference of religious figures at the European Parliament in Brussels. The meeting was dedicated to combating Islamism and antisemitism; Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious representatives took part in it. The newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine was the first to report Remmo's presence, and commentators called his appearance in Brussels with the status of a 'state guest' a slap in the face not only to the German justice system. In photographs, Remmo listens to speeches and applauds when the fight against antisemitism is mentioned; he is also clearly visible in a group photo of the organization ELNET (European Leadership Network), which, apparently, organized the meeting together with the French conservative MEP Céline Imarde.

Who is Issa Remmo

The Remmo clan is estimated to number between 500 and 1,000 members, with the immediate circle of the clan leader in Berlin comprising about 103 people; it lives predominantly in Berlin's Neukölln district. Not all relatives are involved in crimes, however, part of the extended family has repeatedly come to the attention of law enforcement due to serious offenses. The most famous episode — in 2023, five young men from the Remmo clan were convicted of the high-profile robbery of the jewelry collection in the Green Vault in Dresden.

How Remmo ended up at the conference

According to the newspaper Bild, Remmo attended the conference at the invitation of French politician from the European People's Party Céline Imarde and imam Hassen Chalgoumi, known as an advocate of interfaith dialogue and an opponent of terrorism. According to this information, the organizers initially knew nothing about the guest's clan past; subsequently, Imarde apologized to everyone whom his participation might have offended. In Brussels, Remmo, according to Jüdische Allgemeine, discussed antisemitism with the French writer of Jewish origin Marek Halter and stated: 'I am not an imam, but I can say one thing: we are all brothers in this world. Let us all live together, together. What is the problem? Love will win, and terrorism will lose.' According to Remmo, there should be no more antisemitism; Halter replied 'Inshallah'.

Political context in Berlin

The appearance in Brussels is not the first recent event associated with Remmo: he previously made headlines by attending an election evening of the Left Party in Berlin's Neukölln. According to available information, his son Firas had previously communicated in a chat with Bundestag deputy from the Left Party Ferat Koçak. The party in Neukölln stated that it has neither political nor personal ties with Remmo. Remmo himself, in several conversations, including in Brussels, said that he was disappointed with the Left Party.