Macron to issue new measures to tackle Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of French society

Group's grass roots strategy to advance its agenda threatens national cohesion, report says

President Emmanuel Macron says France's Muslim population – the largest in Europe – must not be conflated with groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. EPA

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to issue new measures to tackle infiltration of state agencies by the Muslim Brotherhood after a new report to the Defence Council on Wednesday.

The dossier is also with Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, who has accused the Islamist group of seeking to establish a “caliphate” in France.

“The report very clearly establishes the anti-republican and subversive nature of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it proposes ways to remedy this threat,” an adviser to the president told reporters before the Defence Council meeting.

Action must be taken to stop the spread of political Islamism, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

“The reality of this threat, even if it is long-term and does not involve violent action, poses a risk of damage to the fabric of society and republican institutions … and, more broadly, to national cohesion,” it said.

The Muslim Brotherhood's strategy is to infiltrate society “from the bottom up” through grass roots organisations and municipalities, the adviser to Mr Macron said. Education Minister Elisabeth Borne and Sports Minister Marie Barsacq are scheduled to attend Wednesday's meeting because their sectors are regarded as vulnerable to the infiltration strategy.

What characterises the Muslim Brotherhood is “dissimulation,” said the adviser. It aims “to conquer the institutions of power, particularly municipalities, to gradually replace the rules of social life that we uphold today with the rules of social life advocated by Sharia, and to implement new rules across the national territory”.

The report said that “no recent document demonstrates the desire of Muslims in France to establish an Islamic state in France or to enforce Sharia there”.

Subtle strategy

Muslims of France (Musulmans de France), formerly the Union of Islamic Organisations of France, is identified as “the national branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in France”. “We are not dealing with aggressive separatism” but a “subtle yet no less subversive aim for the institutions,” the report said.

At a rally against Islamophobia in Paris, a protester holds a placard declaring 'We are Muslims and proud of it'. AFP

The report estimates that there are 139 places of worship affiliated with Muslims of France, with 68 more considered “close” to the federation. This represents seven per cent of the 2,800 Muslim places of worship listed in France, the report said.

The Islamist movement is losing its influence in the Arab world and “focusing its efforts on Europe”, it added. A public awareness campaign must be combined with renewed efforts to promote secular discourse and “strong and positive signals to the Muslim community” including the teaching of Arabic, the report said.

Hate crimes including Islamophobia are on the rise in France. Mr Macron has warned against conflating the country's Muslim population – the largest in Europe – with the Muslim Brotherhood. In April, a young man was stabbed to death in a mosque by an attacker who used profanity against Islam.

“We are currently working with the government to address this very strong demand from the Muslim community, seeking further improvements in how we address this hatred,” the presidential adviser said. Attacks against Jews have increased with the Israel-Gaza war.

A law of 2021 against separatism gives French prefectures increased power to shut down associations and businesses believed to be linked to political Islam. The bill was adopted as France was reeling from ISIS attacks that killed hundreds and the murder of a schoolteacher.

Benjamin Haddad, France's Minister for Europe, will present a plan next week in Brussels to urge increased vigilance and avoid funding organisations linked with the Muslim Brotherhood. AFP

European aims

After the law was passed, 741 establishments were closed either temporarily or permanently. They include places of worship, schools or educational institutions, sports and cultural clubs and businesses, including grocery stores. Five Islamist associations or groups were dissolved.

The French government also believes that groups promoting political Islamism would seek to benefit from funding by the European Union.

Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad will present a plan next week in Brussels for the Commission to increase its vigilance and avoid funding entities linked with the Muslim Brotherhood.

“The European dimension of the Brotherhood movement and its desire for infiltration from the ground up applies to municipalities and associations, as they do to international, and particularly European, institutions,” the presidential adviser said.