Extremism and Terrorism Studies Unit in MENA
There have been audits and searches carried out by European Union recently to expose extremist hotbeds inside its communities in order to figure out those related to terrorism. German news have revealed that “Islamic Relief” association in Germany, close to the Muslim Brotherhood, received an amount of 712 thousand euros from the European Union.
According to those informations, the European Commission has considered the Islamic Relief Organization in Germany as a humanitarian partner for the future, for the period 2021 to 2207. Accordingly, the European Commission granted them financial aid estimated at about 712,000 euros. However, investigations into links between organizations working in humanitarian relief with extremism and terrorism have confirmed that Islamic Relief is closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood in Germany.
“This European financial aid comes at a time when Europe is facing an unprecedented wave of terrorism that left behind about 300 French citizens”. The German website has denounced that the European Commission finances an organization close to the Muslim Brotherhood, suspected to supporting terrorism and considered as an integral part of extremist Islamist networks.
German news have also argued that it is not the first time that the Commission funds this type of suspicious organization. For example, it financed the European Muslim Network, founded by Tariq Ramadan, which is affiliated in one way or another with the Muslim Brotherhood. In addition, it funded the Forum of Student Organizations, European Muslim Youth and others. These organizations are suspected of supporting extremism and a culture of hate. They contradict the values of the European community on the one hand and on the other hand are linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
The European Union’s support for these extremist associations has been denounced. A report addresses the European Commission itself and asks: Isn’t it the time to end this suspicious partnership and stop providing financial aids that keep these organizations alive? How long does it take for the European Union to define a decisive position on the Muslim Brotherhood, the mother of all these organizations?
German media have reported that associations affiliated with political Islam received funds from Europe, including Islamic Relief, which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, as it received approximately 712,000 euros by the European Commission.
Several media have spoken out denouncing the support of organizations that are suspected of supporting extremism and terrorism. For example, the German newspaper “Die Welt” has also revealed that some associations following political Islam received money from European institutions.
“NGOs that do not meet European standards should never be funded. Failure to adhere to European standards and values makes any organization questionable and suspicious,” Florence Bergod Blackler, researcher and writer, says in a statement. She stresses that Islamic Relief declares that it is a charitable organization, only to hide its true goals. Countries in the Europe, such as France, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany, have realized that Islamic Relief has long-standing links with the Muslim Brotherhood.
This was confirmed by the Senate of Berlin and the German Federal Government, as they stated that Islamic Relief has clear links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and that the so-called “Essam El-Haddad”, the co-founder of Islamic Relief Worldwide and former director in the United Kingdom, is considered a senior official in the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe.
Through collecting donations and financial aid, Islamic Relief has been able to give the Muslim Brotherhood an additional strength that could enable it to destabilize any country they are working in. This can be seen clearly through British reports that have warned of the danger of Muslim Brotherhood’s centers increase in the country for being the main suspect behind the involvement in terrorist operations to an unprecedented indicator between the years 2019 and 2020.
Based on reports submitted by several security agencies in Germany, a parliamentary report was issued that revealed the Brotherhood’s relationship with financing terrorist organizations by exploiting donation money granted by taxpayers to Islamic Relief, founded by the Brotherhood’s Hany El-Banna in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Back to ask again: Will European institutions take a firm position on the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated organizations, or do these reports just continue to be circulated in the media in order for the extremist to benefit from them in election campaigns?
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