Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The Muslim Brotherhood in Europe (3): A View From Italy




This is another in our series of translations from European articles concerning the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. It is the 3rd such translation concerning the EU in general. The article comes from the Italian daily, Il Giornale, and is written by Mauro Indelicato. The translation (from Italian) is by Fousesquawk.

How European money ends up with the radical Islam Muslim Brotherhood

By Mauro Indelicato

The trend of the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe is clear: "Secularize their own requests and carry forward associations able to promote "sensitive" themes to the ears (and the pocketbooks) of community institutions. A strategy that is working. That is how, as reported in Libero in the past days, from an inquiry presented to the Strasbourg Parliament by parliamentarians of Identity and Democracy and Conservatives and Reformists, important figures emerged on the funding to groups deemed close to the Brotherhood.

The answer given by the European Commission presents a picture other than reassuring. For example, the news of a comprehensive funding of 170,000 euros from 2013 to 2019 from the EU to FEMSYO. That is the Forum of Youth and Muslim Students, a group deemed close to the Muslim Brotherhood. 

A rain of money justified in part for programs of instruction, at least 125,000 euros, and in part, for the remaining amount of 45,000 euros, for projects relative to programs of integration and equality. In a few words, placing themselves as representatives of social needs of the Muslim community, the members of FEMSYO have managed to extract important funding from the coffers of Brussels.

A situation deemed alarming by the parliamentarians who presented the inquiry. Among these are some deputies of the Lega (League Party-Italy). Susanna Ceccardi, (Lega) member at Brussels and also among the signers, has judged the funding in favor of FEMSYO and other associations close to the Muslim Brotherhood "unacceptable", announcing further requests for clarification.

In fact, FEMSYO is an association that is causing a lot of discussion in France. Marlene Schiappa, French minister of integration and who is not noted for anti-Islam positions, has defined the Forum of Young Muslims as "the pseudonym for Islamism". Also because the association is part of Fioe, the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe. The same one that has promoted initiatives aimed at integrating features of sharia (law) into the legal systems of the Old Continent.

After all, the objective of the Brotherhood is to promote so-called "Political Islam", a very conservative vision of Islam, to be spread also in Europe by all possible means. From politics to Soft Power, created thanks to a capillary network of associations, precisely capable of bringing Islamist demands within European institutions. It is no coincidence that FEMSYO is not the only forum to have benefitted from EU funds in these years. Money has been dispersed, for example, also to the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (Ccif), dissolved in 2020 by the French government after the homicide of Professor Samuel Paty, as according to the Paris authorities, the association was considered to be very close to Islamist circles. 

The rain of money for the Muslim Brotherhood does not represent solely a problem of an economic nature. After all, the groups tied to Political Islam already have many funds at their disposition, the thousands of euros dispersed by the EU are pennies compared to their budget. Much more money arrives from abroad through philanthropic and other private (sources), and besides, the Brotherhood has historically received support from countries like Turkey and Qatar. More than anything, the problem is of a political nature. To pay even one cent to an association immersed in the "grey zone" of Islamism means political recognition to radical groups. Self-inflicted damage for Europe and a danger to the security of all.,



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