The Muslim Brotherhood in Switzerland: a family network, financial activities, and an institutional threat
« Continuous institutional infiltration, clan-like structures, and financial activities »: these three dimensions of the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence in Switzerland have turned the country into the movement’s second most important center in Europe.
According to the Swiss newspaper Schweizermonat, Switzerland has served as a key refuge for the Muslim Brotherhood since the arrival of senior Brotherhood figure Said Ramadan in the country in 1961.
At the time, Hassan al-Banna’s son-in-law and personal secretary successfully portrayed political Islam as a bulwark against communism, even though intelligence agencies described him as a « fascist figure » and a « conspiratorial actor », according to the newspaper.
Security experts now consider Switzerland, after England, to be the Muslim Brotherhood’s second most significant hub in Europe. They point out that some organizations are effectively controlled, in terms of personnel, by what could be described as Brotherhood « clans » or « families »: the Ramadan family in Geneva, the Kermous family in Neuchâtel and the canton of Vaud, and the Nada and Hemmat families in Ticino and Zurich.
The Ramadan family in Geneva seeks to preserve the legacy of the movement’s founder, Hassan al-Banna, and manages the city’s Islamic Center. His grandson, Tariq Ramadan, played a major role in spreading the Brotherhood’s ideas throughout Europe. However, in 2024, a Swiss court convicted him of raping and sexually coercing a woman.
The ruling was upheld by the Federal Supreme Court a year later. In March, a criminal court in Paris sentenced Tariq Ramadan to eighteen years in prison and permanently barred him from entering France after convicting him of raping three women.
Interconnections
The Kermous family, led by Mohamed and Nadia Kermous in Neuchâtel and Vaud, established more than a dozen associations dedicated to political activism and lobbying, including the « League of Muslims in Switzerland », which investigators describe as being close to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Meanwhile, prominent figures such as Youssef Nada and Ali Ghaleb Hemmat established headquarters in Lugano and Zurich that security officials interviewed by the newspaper described as financial hubs of the movement.
According to the newspaper, Youssef Hemmat, the son of Ali Ghaleb Hemmat, heads the « Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organizations ».
Members of one family often hold positions on the boards of organizations linked to another family. For example, Hani Ramadan, Tariq Ramadan’s brother, serves on the board of trustees of the « Wakef-Suisse » foundation, chaired by Mohamed Kermous.
He also occupies positions in organizations affiliated with the Hemmat family in Ticino and is described by French intelligence services as the « treasurer » of the Muslim Brotherhood network.
According to the newspaper, this overlap among Brotherhood families in the management of various organizations has created an opaque and highly interconnected network.
Persistent infiltration
The current experience of the Muslim Brotherhood in Switzerland illustrates the depth of the network’s penetration into Swiss institutions, as well as its strategy of targeted and, at times, discreet infiltration of Western organizations.
Nida-Erfram Adjimi, also known by the nickname Nidounit, was appointed in 2024 as the first Muslim chaplain in the Swiss army. While the appointment was celebrated as a victory for integration, critics view it as an example of the growing influence of political Islamist movements even within state institutions.
In an interview with the newspaper Liberté, Nidounit once stated: « I am an explosive personality. »
The comment may have been intended as harmless humor. However, according to experts, her father, lawyer Reza Adjimi, is regarded as a central figure within the Tunisian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
In addition, according to the same newspaper, Arben Ademi, the founder of a renowned perfume company and the principal sponsor of one of Switzerland’s leading football clubs, allegedly supported Brotherhood campaigns with « substantial financial contributions », according to a report by the Swiss criminal police.
Meanwhile, Khaldoun Dia-Eddine teaches at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). He serves on the advisory board of the Center for Islam at the University of Fribourg and is vice-president of the Federation of Islamist Organizations in Switzerland. He has also held positions on the boards of organizations that include Muslim Brotherhood leaders such as Ali Ghaleb Hemmat.
Dia-Eddine headed the Geneva branch of the IICO organization, which several intelligence agencies claim has links to Hamas. At the same time, he regularly acts as an interlocutor for federal authorities and provides training to police officers responsible for enforcing Switzerland’s ban on face coverings.
After outlining what it considers to be the reasons behind the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood, the newspaper argues that financial transparency, a strict ban on organizations affiliated with the movement, and rigorous scrutiny of appointments in sensitive sectors such as the military and the federal police are essential defensive measures against the group’s infiltration.
