Europe tightens the noose on the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group countries move to halt its expansion amid security warnings.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron

Europe tightens the noose on the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group countries move to halt its expansion amid security warnings.

Amid escalating security and political concerns in Europe , governments are taking rapid steps to curb the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood , which is generating widespread controversy over its impact on Western societies and democratic values. These moves come after intelligence reports and official investigations revealed a network of institutions and associations believed to be affiliated with the group, seeking to expand its presence across Europe in ways that officials describe as posing a threat to national security and social cohesion.

France is considered one of the European countries that most closely monitors the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist group. A recent government report revealed that 139 mosques, 21 schools, and 280 associations are linked to the group, operating within prominent local organizations such as "Muslims of France." The report indicated that the group has adopted a strategy of "silent infiltration" into public institutions with the aim of imposing visions that contradict republican values. In this context, President Emmanuel Macron announced new measures that include monitoring the funding of associations and educational centers and scrutinizing their relationships with the group.

A new draft law is to be prepared by the end of the summer, aimed at closing legal loopholes that allow some political organizations to expand their influence within society, and the draft will be presented to Parliament for implementation before the end of 2025.
As part of the new package of measures, Macron stressed the need to strengthen the training of imams within France, in order to reduce reliance on religious centers that receive funding from abroad, considering this "an essential step to protect French Islam from foreign influences."

This trend comes against the backdrop of a secret report commissioned by the Élysée Palace, excerpts of which were published by Le Monde, indicating the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the suburbs and marginal areas through advocacy and charitable networks.
The report deemed these networks a "real threat to national cohesion," prompting the government to move quickly towards stricter legislation.

At the European level, the European Parliament is discussing a proposal to open a comprehensive investigation into the group’s activities within the Union, with calls to cut funding to its subsidiary organizations, especially youth organizations such as FEMYSO and CEM, which are suspected of being fronts for political and social influence.

In Belgium and Sweden, security reviews have begun to assess the extent of the group's infiltration into civil society and education institutions, amid political demands to tighten oversight and review foreign funding laws.

On the international level, the US Congress is working on a bill to designate the group as a terrorist organization, which would allow for international sanctions to be imposed on its activities and sources of funding.

In Europe, policies toward the group vary across several countries. France and Austria have taken strict measures, including banning the group's symbols and conducting large-scale raids, as was the case in the 2020 and 2021 raids that targeted dozens of locations and resulted in numerous arrests. The Netherlands monitors educational and religious content in mosques and schools linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, while Spain focuses on investigations and arrests of individuals involved in terrorist activities over the past two decades, such as the Abu Dahdah network, which carried out the 2004 Madrid bombings.

Security campaigns continue in Europe, with investigations targeting imams and associations linked to the group, and the deportation of accused individuals such as a leader who was deported in 2018 after being found to be involved in incitement and extremism.

While security experts like Lorenzo Vidino warn that the group uses "quiet, legal" methods to exert influence within European societies, others, such as Olivier Roy, believe that the threat from the Muslim Brotherhood is exaggerated and that more attention should be paid to more extreme movements.