Reaching by Any Means: How the Muslim Brotherhood Penetrated France

---

The infiltration of the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization, in France is part of a long-term strategy aimed at building political and social networks in Europe. The Brotherhood has used multiple methods to reach and influence French society.

• France: Number of Muslim Brotherhood members has doubled since 2019, from 50,000 to 100,000

• France Continues to Pursue the Muslim Brotherhood… What’s New?

The roots of this infiltration date back decades when Brotherhood leaders exploited conflicts in the Islamic world and political asylum opportunities to establish a foothold in Europe. With the arrival of migrants from Arab and Muslim countries to France, the Brotherhood began targeting these communities by offering social and religious services, taking advantage of the French authorities’ lack of attention at that time to monitoring the religious and political activities of these groups.

The Suspect Role of Various Entities

Over the years, as the number of Arab migrants to France increased, certain institutions and organizations of questionable nature in Europe were revealed to play a suspicious role, becoming ready-made breeding grounds for violence and terrorism. The situation worsened with the availability of financial resources.

• France: Increasing calls for banning the Muslim Brotherhood Organization… Why? 

• The Muslim Brotherhood’s representation for education in France… What do you know about the National Federation for Private Islamic Education?

For instance, the Ibn Sina School in France, one of the educational institutions linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, designated as a terrorist group in several Arab countries, is neither new nor surprising. French Minister of Education Nicole Belloubet had previously announced the closure of Ibn Sina School, located in Nice and one of its impoverished suburbs, which describes itself on its signboard as a “school of Islamic education.”

There are many suspicions surrounding this school, both in terms of its curriculum, which is linked to the ideas of political Islam, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, and its opaque funding sources. Natasha Chicot, head of the Nice educational academy, stated that the school had been subject to inspections and warnings.

• Monitoring the Muslim Brotherhood’s funds in France… A devastating blow to the group

• Tariq Ramadan’s Appeals Rejected… Latest Developments in the Case of the Grandson of the Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood

Suspicious Sources of Funding

Regarding the funding of the Ibn Sina private school in Nice, no one, including the French authorities, knows its exact sources of funding or how it covers expenses to educate around 100 students. What is known is that this school has “direct ties” with what was once called the “Union of Islamic Organizations” and therefore with the Muslim Brotherhood in France.

The school tried to remain out of the growing debate in France about the dangers of such schools to the country’s security and stability, but the 2021 anti-separatism law exposed its true intentions.

• ISIS and the Muslim Brotherhood under surveillance: Political Islam worries Germany

• After a Peaceful Night… Did the Far Right in Britain Fail to Incite Chaos and Hatred Against Muslims?

When asked about its funding, the school’s administration named families of contributors, whether they were parents of students or donors. The school claimed that the first group paid 200 euros per month per student and that it largely depended on the latter group, who contributed much more to cover the school’s budget. However, a simple comparison between revenues and expenses reveals a clear discrepancy, not only in the accounts but also in the funding sources themselves.

The closure of the Ibn Sina School was announced on February 26 by French Minister of Education Nicole Belloubet, a decision that was to be enforced by Nice’s prefect Hugues Moutouh on February 14. However, the administrative court in Nice surprised the French public by overturning the closure order, stating that the financial irregularities did not justify such a definitive measure.

• The Brotherhood worked to establish its schools in Europe to expand its ideas

• German Analyst Reveals: Our Country Fights All Terror Centers and Organizations Affiliated with Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood

Samah Eid, a political researcher on terrorist groups, explains that the Muslim Brotherhood has exploited Europe’s democratic and open structures to build political and social influence by establishing religious and charitable associations, which serve as a front for the Brotherhood. This infiltration is carried out quietly and systematically under the guise of charitable and religious work but is used in reality to spread their extremist ideas among Muslim communities residing in Europe.

He adds that the situation in France is more challenging than in other countries due to the large number of Arab migrants and the presence of millions of immigrants, allowing Brotherhood members to spread and expand their influence, something the French authorities are now striving to stop.

• Analysts reveal the danger of Muslim Brotherhood expansion in European Societies

• International Expert Reveals Strategies to Confront the Muslim Brotherhood in European Countries