Somali Land: A Destination for the Muslim Brotherhood… What are the circumstances that have helped to strengthen their presence there?
Egyptian writer and journalist Dalia Abdel Rahim stated that Somali Land has become one of the most important “new safe havens” for the Muslim Brotherhood following the pressures and security investigations faced by the group and its elements in historical and traditional safe havens in some European countries and Middle Eastern countries in recent years.
Abdel Rahim emphasized that the Muslim Brotherhood exploited the difficult economic and living conditions there to engage in charitable work, especially in the medical and educational fields. They began building hospitals, medical associations, providing financial and logistical support with medical equipment and medications, and recruiting doctors and technicians from the Muslim Brotherhood ranks for old hospitals. They also supported the establishment of schools, stores, and other ventures through their investments and personnel.
She pointed out that most of the Muslim Brotherhood members who moved to Somali Land were individuals from the third and fourth generations, those who had not obtained Qatari or Turkish citizenship earlier or had failed to obtain citizenship from some European countries due to their legal status in Egypt or due to incomplete documents to obtain citizenship in those countries. Therefore, they were forced to travel to Somali Land, which became their promised land after being restricted in Turkey and some Arab capitals. Their activities focused either in companies owned by the Muslim Brotherhood or in hospitals, or in free trade. The group provided them with the necessary funds for this purpose.
She asserted that the Muslim Brotherhood‘s interest in Somali Land increased after their isolation from political life in Egypt and pressure in several other countries. They sought citizenship in several African countries, with Somali Land leading the way, in addition to transferring a large part of their investments to that country. She highlighted that Somali Land’s willingness to attract foreign investments facilitated matters for the Muslim Brotherhood, who exploited the situation by starting to implement commercial, medical, and social projects. The group’s choice of this African country is part of their desire not to move to countries where it would be difficult to pursue them, unlike their presence in Europe, countries that have relations with Egypt and where they could be pursued at any time.
She added that under the guise of charity work, the Muslim Brotherhood chose the doctor Helmy El-Gazzar to work as a volunteer in a hospital in Hargeisa, the capital of Somali Land. In reality, El-Gazzar was on the run due to judicial convictions against him in his country. He had suffered from pressures and surveillance in the countries he had fled to after leaving Egypt. She emphasized that the role of the volunteer doctor in a public hospital serving local
residents is public, whereas in reality, based on the assignment given to him by the Muslim Brotherhood, he is responsible for managing the group’s projects and investments, providing accommodation and job opportunities for thousands of members.
