Muslim Brotherhood 'threat to national cohesion' —French report

PARIS — The Muslim Brotherhood movement is a "threat to national cohesion" in France and action must be taken to stop the spread of "political Islam", according to a report to be presented to President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday. "The reality of this threat, even if it is long-term and does not involve violent action, poses a risk of damage to the fabric of society and republican institutions... and, more broadly, to national cohesion," said the report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on Tuesday.

 

The report, prepared by two senior civil servants, is to be examined by the Defence Council on Wednesday.

 

France and Germany have the biggest Muslim populations among European Union countries.

 

The report pointed to the spread of Islamism "from the bottom up" and at the municipal level, adding the phenomenon constituted "a threat in the short to medium term".

 

In France, the movement is "based on a solid structure, but political Islamism is spreading primarily at the local level," the authors stressed.

 

"Resolute and long-term action on the ground seems necessary to stem the rise of political Islamism," they said.

 

The report highlighted the "subversive nature of the project", saying it aims "to gradually bring about changes to local or national rules," particularly those concerning secularism and gender equality.

 

Such "municipal Islamism" risks affecting the public sphere and local politics, the report said, pointing to "the creation of increasingly numerous Islamist ecosystems."

 

France's tough-talking Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau expressed concern on Tuesday about "a low-level Islamism" whose "ultimate goal is to turn the entire French society to Sharia law."

 

But the report authors said that "no recent document demonstrates the desire of Muslims in France to establish an Islamic state in France or to enforce Sharia law there."

 

Muslims in France (Musulmans de France), formerly the Union of Islamic Organisations of France, is identified as "the national branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in France."

 

"We are not dealing with aggressive separatism" but a "subtle (...) yet no less subversive aim for the institutions," the authors said.

 

The report estimates that there are 139 places of worship affiliated with Muslims of France, with an additional 68 considered close to the federation.

 

This represents seven percent of the 2,800 Muslim places of worship listed in France, the report said.

 

The Islamist movement is losing its influence in the Arab world and "focusing its efforts on Europe", it added.

 

A public awareness campaign must be combined with renewed efforts to promote a "secular discourse" as well as "strong and positive signals to the Muslim community" including the teaching of Arabic, the report said.