Beirut - The pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement said Saturday it was not surprised by Germany's decision to ban its al-Manar satellite television, the Lebanese Shiite movement's mouthpiece. "We were not surprised because it seems Germany is following the footsteps of the US and France," a source at the movement, who requested anonymity, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa.
The channel has already been outlawed in the US and France. German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said al-Manar violated Germany's constitution, which prohibits hate speech such as denying the Holocaust.
The ban will prevent al-Manar from advertising or fundraising in Germany and block the reception of the channel in German hotels. Private homes, however, will still be able to tune into the station.
"Such a ban will not affect us or our supporters - instead we feel stronger than before and our network will stay the media of the resistance against Israel," the Hezbollah source added.
Hezbollah has been branded as a terrorist organization by the US and Germany. The Shiite movement has played a key role in forcing the Israeli army to withdraw from southern Lebanon in May 2000 thus ending 22 years of occupation.
