New move against the Muslim Brotherhood in the German Parliament
A new move against the Muslim Brotherhood in Germany addresses attempts by the group and other Islamist currents to infiltrate political parties and create “circles of influence and radicalization” within them.
The parliamentary group of the Alternative for Germany party submitted, a few days ago, a parliamentary inquiry, regarding the infiltration of Islamist organizations, foremost among them the Muslim Brotherhood, into parties within the German political center.
The preamble of the inquiry states: “The covert infiltration of our society represents one of the greatest threats to democracy in our country,” adding: “This infiltration is not limited to extremist Islamists, but also extends to an anti-Western outlook adopted by certain left-wing groups.”
It continues: “There is already a term for this in France: Islamo-leftism, which refers to an unfortunate alliance between segments of the far left and Islamist actors, whereby any criticism of political Islam is portrayed as right-wing.”
Similar cases are also increasing in Germany. The head of the Social Democratic Party in Berlin, Martin Hikel, withdrew his candidacy for the position of mayor of the Neukölln district a few months ago after facing accusations from circles within the party’s hardline wing due to his stance on political Islam.
Following this, he stated: “This day has clearly shown me, in a frightening way, how deeply Islamist influence is embedded in the discourse of the Social Democratic Party in Berlin.”
He added: “We have a problem with political Islam that we can no longer ignore.”
According to the report’s preamble, similar warnings have emerged within the Social Democratic Party in Berlin, with officials believing that silence facilitates the expansion of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence within the party.
Examples
Without naming individuals, the inquiry provided specific examples of the influence of Islamist organizations, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood, within the Social Democratic Party, notably the head of the “Taiba” center (referring to Farid Haidar), whose cultural center was mentioned in a report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as part of the group’s network.
Politicians from the Social Democratic Party also participated in previous events organized by the “Neukölln Meeting Platform” (NBS), an organization cited in a report by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution due to its links with the German Muslim Community Organization, considered the Brotherhood’s arm in the country, according to the inquiry.
The inquiry posed specific questions to the government, most notably: Is the federal government aware of Islamist infiltration into the structures of political parties represented in the Bundestag, and how serious is this phenomenon?
It continued: “Does the federal government consider that certain parties currently represented in Parliament are particularly vulnerable to infiltration by Islamists, and if so, which ones?”
It added: “Have federal security services, over the past five years, issued specific warnings to parties represented in the Bundestag regarding potential attempts of infiltration or influence by Islamist organizations, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood?”
The government is expected to respond to this inquiry and its questions in the coming weeks.
Warnings and evidence
Güner Balci, the integration affairs official in the Neukölln district of Berlin and a member of the Social Democratic Party, had spoken last November about the risk of political Islam currents infiltrating the party.
This came after the resignation of the district’s mayor, from the Social Democratic Party, Martin Hikel, following a dispute with colleagues over the influence of extremism and criminal networks linked to Arab clans in the area.
Balci’s remarks about the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood within her party confirm earlier indications, as the group’s efforts to infiltrate this center-left party have been ongoing for some time.
In a previous report, figures affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood occupy important positions within the party.
In 2014, activist Lydia Nofal, linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, participated in founding the Islamic working group within the Social Democratic Party, enabling the group to infiltrate Germany’s second-largest party.
This group also includes among its members Mohamed Hajjaj, one of the most prominent Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Germany.
Nofal maintains personal ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, attending activities of the Muslim Youth Organization, a group affiliated with the movement that was monitored for a period by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
The Muslim Brotherhood maintains a strong presence in Germany through the Islamic Society Organization and numerous smaller organizations and mosques across the country.
The institutions and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Germany are under surveillance by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which classifies them as a threat to the constitutional order.
