Growing calls for a ban: the noose tightens around political Islam in Austria
Pressure is mounting on the Austrian government to implement a ban on political Islam, including the Muslim Brotherhood, following a series of alarming developments.
Just days after the revelation of a Muslim Brotherhood spy embedded within the country’s domestic intelligence service, Ricarda Berger, spokeswoman for the Freedom Party of Austria (the country’s strongest political force) and member of parliament, stated: “We cannot overcome outdated values that reject our culture merely through workshops and dialogue. We need a clear and unequivocal message for everyone: political Islam, its symbols, its perception of women, and its value system have no place in our country.”
She added that “a law banning political Islam, along with a general ban on wearing the hijab in schools—not only for girls under the age of fourteen but for all female students, teachers, and caregivers—is urgently needed at this time.”
Berger also criticized what she described as the ruling People’s Party’s (ÖVP) hesitation to take action against political Islam, saying the party “lacks the courage to make such decisions.”
Yesterday, the Austrian government launched the first phase of its plan to combat the influence of political Islam by introducing measures to ban the hijab for children.
Berger stated that “importing misogynistic and anti-Western attitudes through illegal mass migration must be stopped.” She added: “Our need to address the issue of headscarves for children is a direct result of mass immigration allowed by misguided asylum and migration policies over past decades.”
She continued: “Allowing people to cross borders unchecked encourages the creation of parallel and opposing societies in which political Islam often sets the direction.”
In recent days, the discovery of a Muslim Brotherhood spy within Austria’s domestic intelligence agency has rocked the political scene and reached the halls of parliament.
Last Wednesday, it was revealed that an employee of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence had leaked information on ongoing investigations to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The man was temporarily arrested, suspended from duty, and interrogated. He did not deny the accusations and openly admitted to the charges.
However, the case has now gone beyond the judicial sphere, becoming a major political issue. The Freedom Party has officially requested a parliamentary session to discuss the matter.
The party also called for a full investigation to determine whether the spy had warned terrorists, obstructed or compromised counterterrorism operations in Austria, or maintained links with Hamas and participated in planning potential attacks inside or outside the country, according to Austrian media reports.
Since November 2020, prosecutors in Graz have been investigating the Muslim Brotherhood for suspected financing of terrorism, promoting extremism, and inciting hatred.
Furthermore, since 2019, Austria has banned symbols associated with organizations tied to political Islam, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah.
