The Siege of Soft Influence: Texas Redefines the Rules of Confrontation with the Muslim Brotherhood
The American confrontation with the Muslim Brotherhood is no longer limited to cutting off sources of funding. It has expanded to counter what is described as the group’s “soft influence” within schools, community centers, real estate developments, and religious institutions.
In this context, the state of Texas has become an advanced testing ground for new measures aimed at addressing the Brotherhood’s alleged penetration of educational, social, and legal structures.
The First Line of Defense
According to Texas officials, the state has become the first line of defense against this type of influence, which they argue is manifested through controversial housing projects and activities within universities and schools.
The Gatestone Institute states that Texas represents a prominent example of what it describes as efforts by the Muslim Brotherhood to transform the United States and Western civilization from within. This led Texas Governor Greg Abbott in November of last year to classify the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations.
At the time, Abbott stated: “The actions taken by this organization and by CAIR to support terrorism around the world and undermine our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable. These extremists are not welcome in our state, and they are now prohibited from holding real estate interests in Texas.”
The “Meadow” or “EPIC City” Project
The institute also highlights Yasir Qadhi, who serves as chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America. According to the article, the council was mentioned in a 1991 explanatory memorandum attributed to the Muslim Brotherhood as one of the institutions associated with what was described as a “civilizational jihad” in North America.
The report states that Yasir Qadhi is behind the “EPIC City” project, later renamed “The Meadow,” a residential development consisting of more than one thousand homes, a mosque, schools, sports facilities, and community institutions serving Muslims.
The institute also quotes John Guandolo as saying that the organization’s activities in Texas have expanded significantly in recent years, pointing to the existence of hundreds of mosques, halal restaurants, and associations throughout the state.
An American Intelligence Perspective
The Gatestone Institute further cites remarks by former U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who warned that “the spread of an ideology promoted by individuals and organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood constitutes a threat.”
The institute argues that the Muslim Brotherhood does not seek rapid or revolutionary change. Rather, according to a study published by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, it allegedly relies on a long-term strategy of gradual influence over education, media, law, civil society, and political structures.
The Hundred-Year Plan
The institute also refers to a document known as “The Muslim Brotherhood Project: Toward a Global Strategy for Islamic Policy,” which was reportedly discovered during a 2001 raid conducted by Swiss authorities on the home of Youssef Nada.
According to the cited study, the organization is said to be pursuing a long-term strategy aimed at “reshaping society from within” through a process extending over several decades.
Parallel Communities
The institute also highlights other projects and initiatives in Texas, including one led by Muin Qudah. According to the author, the project seeks to establish an integrated complex containing a mosque, schools, a university, healthcare and sports facilities, and residential communities, representing what he describes as a model of “parallel communities.”
Activities Within Schools
The institute also discusses the activities of organizations linked to the Muslim Brotherhood within American schools. It cites an incident at Wiley East High School in Texas, where a group affiliated with the Islamic Circle of North America, described in the article as one of the organizations associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, set up an informational booth inside the school.
The report concludes that the Muslim Brotherhood is carrying out what it describes as a “civilizational jihad” within the United States through educational, religious, and social institutions, and that Texas has become one of the principal arenas for such activities.
