New Security Warning in France: The Muslim Brotherhood, “the Greatest Internal Threat”

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A new security warning in France highlights the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, a branch deemed – alongside drug trafficking – to constitute “the greatest internal threat” to the country amid tense national and international contexts.

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An alarm bell has been sounded once more along the Seine River, where France has been striving to counter an organization infiltrating society to achieve its ultimate goal: “establishing a caliphate in France and Europe by imposing Sharia law.”

This was confirmed by Bertrand Chamoulaud, head of France’s domestic intelligence agency, in an interview with the newspaper Le Monde, where he warned about the expansion of the Muslim Brotherhood‘s influence and the spread of drug trafficking.

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This agency, the successor of the former General Intelligence Directorate, comprises 3,000 agents tasked with gathering, centralizing, and analyzing intelligence across French territory, excluding the Paris Police Prefecture. It is also responsible for combating violent extremism.

“The Greatest Threat”

In the interview, Chamoulaud emphasized that “the Muslim Brotherhood differs from the Salafist movement, which adopts a strict approach in enforcing its rules,” noting that they “follow a more organized project.”

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He added: “The danger of this movement lies in its covert methods of infiltrating societal sectors, such as sports, healthcare, and education.”

He also warned that the Brotherhood “resorts to a victimhood narrative, especially when their mosques are closed or their imams expelled, fostering a sense of oppression even among some moderate Muslims.”

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Anti-Separatism Law

A few months ago, former Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced a government plan to counter the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood in France.

At the time, the minister warned that some individuals and public institutions might unknowingly cooperate with the Brotherhood.

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He stated that the organization targets all aspects of society through complex networks, including voter manipulation, supporting community-based economic activities, and using anti-France rhetoric.

To counter this threat, France primarily relies on the anti-separatism law introduced by President Emmanuel Macron, which allows for monitoring foreign funding and enhancing oversight of activities that may impact national unity.

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Recent Measures

The implementation of this law marked the beginning of the confrontation between Paris and the Muslim Brotherhood. Recently, in early December, French authorities took security and financial measures against the “European Institute of Human Sciences,” affiliated with the organization.

Authorities suspect the institute of failing to comply with the obligation to declare foreign funding sources and promoting radicalism.

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The institute’s Paris branch, known as “Paris Saint-Ouen,” has been described by a former intelligence official as “an organization clearly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Authorities believe the institute trains a large number of imams and preachers based on an ideology that could escalate to a terrorist level.

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This is not the first time France has restricted the activities of a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated institution. Each year, several associations and religious institutes linked to the organization are banned following suspicions of radicalism and foreign funding.

Paris still faces numerous challenges in its confrontation with a movement that has infiltrated society almost imperceptibly, consolidating the roots of an extremist project aimed at ideological indoctrination before advancing to further stages.

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