Anti-Jewish feeling is “significantly” entrenched in German society, according to a report by experts appointed by Germany’s parliament.

They say the internet has played a key role in spreading Holocaust denial, far-right and extreme Islamist views.

The German government’s attempts to unite different religious groups seem to be turning sour. Introducing lessons on Islam in schools was meant to help integrate the country’s three million Muslims.

But the policy is having some undesired effects.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government wants to criminalize forced marriages as part of efforts to cope with the nation’s largely Muslim immigrant population, AP reports.About 4.3 million Muslims live in Germany, and forced marriage is still fairly common, especially among Turks and Arabs. But the government said the problem is not limited to Islamic circles.

The proposals come after weeks of heated debate about integration in Germany — a sensitive issue in the country that saw minorities persecuted under Hitler and now tries to present itself as a tolerant, liberal society as a result.

The debate started when German central banker Thilo Sarrazin made controversial remarks about the failure of many Muslim immigrants to integrate in a book — “Deutschland schafft sich ab” (German does away with itself).

President Christian Wulff encouraged Germans to accept that “Islam also belongs in Germany,” which also stirred the debate.

Merkel said earlier this month that multiculturalism had “utterly failed” in Germany. She told Muslims they must obey the constitution rather than Sharia law if they wanted to live in Germany.

Five years ago bombings and riots fuelled anxiety that Europe’s Muslims were on the verge of mass radicalisation. Those predictions have not been borne out, The Observer writes.

Polls have found that Muslim communities are profoundly influenced by their countries of residence. French Muslims have absorbed the values of France, and are more secular than their German counterparts, for example.

Police raided apartments and offices throughout Germany in the biggest-ever action aimed at stamping out the radical-right music scene.

Authorities searched more than 200 locations on Wednesday, March 4, confiscating 45,000 CDs, more than 170 computers and some 70 weapons.

German police have banned an extreme right-wing “anti-Islamification” rally in Cologne, as it was about to begin.

“The safety of our Cologne people has priority,” said a police spokesman after ugly clashes between far-leftists and riot police.

The leftists, who were bent on occupying a city square set aside for the rightists to use, assaulted police and tried to snatch their pistols. Riot police advanced against them, swinging batons.