Weekly update
every Monday at 7 am
“brotherism” in Quebec, USCMO at the Capitol, Hizb ut-Tahrir towards ISIS
A weekly round-up of social media platforms, their activities and operating methods, the studies, reports and surveys documenting them, as well as the measures taken by governments in Europe and North America. Published every Monday at 7am (Paris time).
How does CERIF’s weekly monitoring service work? Click to expand: what you see, where it comes from, the sources used, and the selection criteria.
What is it?
The Observatory publishes a weekly watch every Monday at 7 AM on Muslim Brotherhood networks and organized political Islam. You'll find 9 carefully selected articles on average from verified sources, organized by geographic zone (France, Europe, United States, Canada, Australasia).
How does it work?
- IN BRIEF (top): three paragraphs that give the week's significance - not a repetition of articles, but an analysis of convergences, shifts, silences.
- IN DETAIL (bottom): articles organized by region in clickable tabs. Click a zone to see only what's happening there.
Where does it come from?
The watch draws on a public list of about 125 sources maintained by CERIF: some forty specialised research centres (GWU Program on Extremism, ISGAP, Hudson Institute, Policy Exchange, AK Polis, DPI Austria, EM2C…) and some sixty press titles (France, Belgium, UK, US, Canada, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy…), plus official sources: ministries, prefectures, courts, parliaments.
Every Monday an automated assistant reads the research centres one by one and sweeps the press and official sources through targeted searches, zone by zone. Some major dailies block automated reading; they are then covered by search rather than direct reading. A source-by-source coverage report is kept for each edition.
Selection criteria: each article must directly address Muslim Brotherhood networks or organised political Islam, date from less than two weeks ago, and link precisely to a primary source or an established press title. Aggregators and sites of uncertain reliability are excluded.
Who validates?
Nothing is published without review: each edition is proposed as a draft, then read and validated by CERIF's team before going online. The cycle combines systematic coverage with human editorial judgment.
Click on an area to display only the articles in that area.
France
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On 21 April, Atlantico published a column by Hugues Serraf reviewing the statements made by Nadia Meziane, an activist who publicly identifies as an Islamist, in which she criticised Jean-Luc Mélenchon for denying the reality of Islamist influence within La France insoumise. The article follows the CNOUS elections on 1 April (see S18) and the findings of the parliamentary inquiry into links between political parties and Islamist movements.
Atlantico · 21 April 2026
Europe
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In an investigation published by Nordic Monitor, Abdullah Bozkurt documents the 7 April bomb attack on the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, in which two of the three attackers had links to Hizb ut-Tahrir. The article traces the backgrounds of Onur Çelik, who had been attending an office of the organisation in Gebze for two years, and Abdulkadir Ercan, who was recruited by Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2007 and subsequently by al-Qaeda and Islamic State. It recalls the 2018 ruling by the Turkish Constitutional Court which decriminalised the group despite previous administrative designations, and presents Hizb ut-Tahrir as a legalistic structure serving as a conduit to jihadist violence.
Nordic Monitor · 27 April 2026
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Brigadier General (Reserve) Eran Lerman, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council, has published a paper for the JISS in which he identifies radical Islamist activism as one of the factors behind anti-Israel protests in Europe, though he does not present it as the sole explanation. He distinguishes between organised Islamist movements and the broader views of the European public, and sets out six strategic recommendations for Israel, including strengthening ties with Greece, Cyprus and Central Europe.
JISS – Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security · 21 April 2026
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In an opinion piece published on 22 April by Gatestone, Nils A. Haug analyses the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe since 7 October 2023. The author identifies what he calls a ‘red-green alliance’ between a section of the Western left and organised Islamist movements, and argues that Israel should not base its security on the protection of European governments.
Gatestone Institute · 22 April 2026
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In a paper published by the JISS on 20 April, Gabi Siboni and Erez Winner present an analysis of the European stance following the conflict in Iran, which they attribute to a combination of ‘peace addiction’, poorly regulated immigration and a withdrawal from security matters. The publication builds on Eran Lerman’s note of 21 April (on the front page) on Israel’s European agenda and provides a framework for understanding the ongoing debates on the place of political Islam in European society.
JISS – Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security · 20 April 2026
United States
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From 20 to 21 April, the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) held its 11th National Muslim Advocacy Day at the Capitol, bringing together over a thousand delegates from 33 states for around 260 meetings with members of Congress. The RAIR Foundation, in an alert published on 9 April and updated at the start of the event, called on parliamentarians to refuse these meetings, citing the documented track records of CAIR and ICNA, identified by several analysts as having close ties to the brotherist American movement. This development coincides with the bill introduced on 9 April by Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) seeking to designate CAIR as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.
RAIR Foundation USA · 21 April 2026
Canada
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At a public meeting organised on 15 April by the Centre for Jewish and Israeli Affairs (CIJA), Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, referred to the “brotherism ” as a “documented reality in several European countries” which, in his view, Ottawa refuses to acknowledge in Canada. On 22 April, La Presse and Le Devoir reported on the federal government’s response, which accused the PQ leader of peddling “a conspiracy theory”, and the National Council of Canadian Muslims’ (NCCM) request for a meeting. On 25 April, La Presse reported that the PQ leader was “reaching out” to cultural communities, noting the presence of Muslim candidates in the constituencies of Jeanne-Mance–Viger and Anjou–Louis-Riel.
The Press · 22 April 2026
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On 22 April, Le Devoir published a follow-up report on the response from the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). Stephen Brown, the organisation’s executive director, said he felt “shocked” and believes that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s statement “sows mistrust towards Quebecers of the Muslim faith”. The PQ leader said he was “open to a possible meeting” but considered his positions “irreconcilable” with those of the organisation.
Le Devoir · 22 April 2026
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On 16 April, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute is releasing an episode of “Inside Policy Talks” featuring British commentator Melanie Phillips and Casey Babb, director of the institute’s “The Promised Land” programme. The discussion focuses on the West’s difficulty in understanding Islam as a political project, rather than merely as a personal religion. The episode builds on Casey Babb’s work on North American networks and falls within the 14-day window selected by the monitoring service.
Macdonald-Laurier Institute · 16 April 2026
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- Creil – The Administrative Court upholds the administrative closure of the Al Ghazali Muslim school
On 7 October, the Amiens Administrative Court dismissed the applications for interim relief filed by the managers of the Al Ghazali private Muslim school complex in Creil (Oise, 258 pupils), upholding the six-month closure order signed at the end of September by Prefect Jean-Marie Caillaud. The judge ruled that the school did not meet the required safety standards and that the urgency cited by the management was not substantiated. The school has announced that it will appeal to the Council of State; families have fifteen days to find another school.
Read in this edition → - Beaugency – Three minors in police custody on suspicion of glorifying terrorism after singing a song in praise of Mohamed Merah and Salah Abdeslam
Three underage secondary school pupils were taken into police custody in Orléans on Wednesday 7 October as part of a public prosecutor’s investigation into “glorification of terrorism” and “glorification of terrorism via an online public communication service”. The incident dates back to the blockade of the François-Villon secondary school in Beaugency, where a video posted online shows pupils performing the song “MRH” by the rapper Boro700, which refers to Mohamed Merah, Salah Abdeslam and the Bataclan. A second investigation concerns secondary school pupils filmed performing the same song in a church in Soullans, in the Vendée.
Read in this edition → - Paris – Franc-Tireur has published a feature on ENAR, described as the European representative of Muslim Brotherhood
On 7 October, the weekly magazine *Franc-Tireur* published a feature entitled “No more Brothers Rapetou”, devoted to the European Network Against Racism (ENAR). The article traces the links between the Brussels-based organisation and the brotherist movement, and puts the total amount of public funding – mainly from the EU – received by the network over the past twenty years at twenty million euros. It was published on the eve of the vote on the European Parliament’s resolution against entryism.
Read in this edition → - CERIF – Florence Bergeaud-Blackler publishes two analysis papers on the European Parliament’s resolution against entryism brotherist
In the days following the vote in Strasbourg on 8 October, CERIF published two papers authored by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler. Paper 2026/35 compares the five proposals tabled by the political groups and shows that the final text is largely based on the EPP’s proposal, with elements borrowed from Renew and the ECR. A second note (2026/34) analyses the roll-call vote: the dividing line runs strictly along left-right lines. The rapporteur is the French MEP Céline Imart (EPP).
Read in this edition → - European Union – The European Parliament passes a resolution calling for Muslim Brotherhood to be added to the EU’s terrorist list
On 8 October, the European Parliament adopted, by 381 votes to 167, with 15 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the EPP and supported by the Conservatives (ECR) and the Patriots, calling on the Council to assess the inclusion of entities and individuals linked to Muslim Brotherhood on the EU’s list of terrorist organisations. The text also calls for a common strategy to detect Islamist infiltration, the cutting off of public funding to organisations linked to the Brotherhood, and tighter scrutiny of youth organisations. The resolution has no immediate legal effect: the decision rests with the Council, where Member States remain divided.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Campaign Against Antisemitism has referred the matter to the EHRC following a motion by the Green Party stating that “Zionism is racism”
On 7 October, the Campaign Against Antisemitism lodged a complaint with the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission following a motion passed by the Green Party, by 1,022 votes to 813, stating that “Zionism is racism”. The organisation cites sections 101(2)(d) and 101(3)(d) of the Equality Act 2010 and argues that the wording discriminates against Jewish members who attend organisations described as Zionist, including synagogues. Party leader Zack Polanski did not vote; former leaders Caroline Lucas, Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer voted against the motion.
Read in this edition → - Vienna – Minister Claudia Bauer finalises a 24-point ‘Punktation’ to ban political Islam
On 5 October, the APA news agency confirmed that the office of the Austrian Minister for Integration, Claudia Bauer (ÖVP), had finalised a 24-point ‘Punktation’, which has now been submitted to the coalition partners (SPÖ, NEOS). The text provides for a formal ban on the Muslim Brotherhood brotherhood and Hamas, stricter controls on Islamic religious education (teachers’ qualifications, teaching materials, state supervision), and an end to the compulsory deduction of a portion of teachers’ salaries for the benefit of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ). Its president, Ümit Vural, says he is willing to discuss quality issues but opposes any changes to the constitutional framework.
Read in this edition → - Berlin – DITIB appoints Ramazan Ilikkan, former religious attaché at the Turkish Diyanet, as its federal president
On 6 October, the Arbeitskreis Politischer Islam (AK Polis) published an analysis documenting the appointment of Ramazan Ilikkan as federal head of DITIB, Germany’s leading mosque federation. A former religious attaché in Düsseldorf (2013–2017), Ilikkan had been recalled to Ankara at the time of the espionage affair involving DITIB. The article demonstrates, supported by reports from German intelligence services and academic research, that DITIB remains institutionally linked to the Turkish Diyanet and thus to Erdoğan’s regime, whilst federal and state administrations continue to cooperate with it and a faculty of Islamic theology has just opened in Münster.
Read in this edition → - Washington / Berlin – AK Polis reports on a study by the Programme on Extremism concerning Al-Qaeda’s exploitation of 7 October
On 7 October, the Arbeitskreis Politischer Islam revisited the study by Sergio Altuna Galán (Programme on Extremism, George Washington University) on the propaganda of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State since October 2023. Al-Qaeda separates the Hamas attack from the Hamas organisation in order to frame it within its own narrative of global jihad; it treats Gaza as a textbook example of its concept of the ‘armed ummah’ and adopts the vocabulary of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, whilst retaining its religious and anti-Semitic framework – the study cites Sayf al-Adel denying the Holocaust. The Islamic State devotes far less attention to Gaza and uses it solely to reinforce its doctrine.
Read in this edition → - Indiana – Attorney General Todd Rokita launches a civil investigation into CAIR and Students for Justice in Palestine
On 7 October, the third anniversary of the Hamas attack, Indiana’s Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita served civil investigative demands on the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and National Students for Justice in Palestine. Both organisations are required to hand over their internal communications regarding their statements made after 7 October and any potential links to foreign terrorist organisations. The procedure, authorised by a state law that came into force in July 2026, could result in the groups being designated as “terrorist affiliates” by Governor Mike Braun, which would deprive them of state grants, contracts and tax benefits.
Read in this edition → - Michigan – First Rogers/El-Sayed Senate debate dominated by the issue of El-Sayed’s links with Muslim Brotherhood
On 8 October in Grand Rapids, Republican Mike Rogers launched a direct attack on Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate standing to succeed Gary Peters, accusing him of accepting money “from groups associated with Muslim Brotherhood” and from donors who “openly support Hamas, Hezbollah and al-Qaeda”. The Washington Free Beacon had published a financial analysis the previous day identifying, among El-Sayed’s donors, a former foreign affairs spokesperson for the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood party and several directors of Life for Relief and Development who were implicated in the Holy Land Foundation case. Fact-checkers consider the general accusations to be unsubstantiated, but the campaign is now shaped by the issue of brotherism.
Read in this edition → - Florida – Federal Judge Mark Walker has postponed the date on which CAIR’s designation as a domestic terrorist organisation is due to come into force until 5 November
Following an urgent application by CAIR and its Florida branch in response to the decision taken by Governor Ron DeSantis and the State Cabinet on 29 September, Judge Mark Walker of the Northern District of Florida dismissed the application for an immediate injunction on 6 October, but suspended the entry into force of the designations until 5 November to hear the state’s arguments. The plaintiffs are challenging Bill HB 1471, which authorises Florida to designate domestic terrorist organisations, citing the First Amendment and a conflict with federal law. The ruling provides CAIR with temporary protection but does not rule on the merits of the case.
Read in this edition → - United States – ISGAP marks the third anniversary of 7 October and channels Qatari funding to universities and networks Muslim Brotherhood
In a press release dated 8 October marking the third anniversary of 7 October, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy describes the spread across American campuses and cities of antisemitic rhetoric that justifies political violence, and refers to its research “Follow the Money”, which documents Qatari funding flows to federal universities and their links to the ideological networks of Muslim Brotherhood. The text forms part of a series of ISGAP publications on the DETERRENT Act, currently under consideration in Congress, which aims to increase transparency regarding foreign donations to universities.
Read in this edition → - Paris and Saint-Denis – The Ministry of the Interior has issued several ministerial decrees banning imams and Islamist figures from appearing in public during Pope Leo XIV’s visit from 25 to 28 September 2026, a sweeping preventive measure based on the threat to public order
According to a report by Europe 1, confirmed by Le JDD, the Ministry of the Interior (Beauvau) has issued several ministerial decrees targeting ‘individuals considered to be radicalised’ with links to Islamist circles, banning them from appearing in Paris and Saint-Denis during Pope Leo XIV’s visit from 25 to 28 September 2026. This consists of a series of individual orders, not a blanket measure: each order is signed by the Minister for the Interior and based on a report from the domestic intelligence service. This is the first large-scale implementation of these ministerial bans since the start of the new academic year, following the dissolution of the Aulnay Sud Cultural Association (16 September, see S39).
Read in this edition → - Paris – The Franco-Algerian imam Noureddine Aoussat, aged 65, a former chaplain at the Sorbonne, has been served with an individual administrative control and supervision order (MICAS) dated 12 September, barring him from Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and the Moselle region from 25 to 28 September 2026; on 27 September, the Paris Administrative Court rejected his application for an interim suspension without considering the merits of the case
The former imam Noureddine Aoussat, aged 65, a Franco-Algerian, former chaplain at the Grand Mosque of Paris and former lecturer at the Sorbonne, was subject on 12 September 2026 to an individual administrative control and surveillance order signed by the Minister for the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, prohibiting him from being in Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes and the Moselle region from 25 to 28 September 2026, with a requirement to report daily at 2 pm. The grounds cited by Beauvau were a “particularly serious threat” to public order during Pope Leo XIV’s visit. Aoussat filed an application for an interim injunction before the Paris Administrative Court; the judge hearing the application dismissed his request on 27 September 2026 without considering the merits of the case, allowing the measure to remain in force until the end of the papal visit.
Read in this edition → - Chalon-sur-Saône – On 22 September 2026, the Dijon Administrative Court ordered the Muslim religious association, which had been occupying the municipal premises at 4 Rue Edgar-Quinet since 1978, to vacate the premises within fifteen days, on the basis of the prohibition laid down in the 1905 Act against making premises for religious worship available free of charge
On 22 September 2026, the Dijon Administrative Court ordered the Muslim religious association, which had been occupying the council premises at 4 Rue Edgar-Quinet, Chalon-sur-Saône, since 1978, to vacate the premises within fifteen days. The court based its ruling on Article 2 of the Act of 9 December 1905, which prohibits a local authority from making municipal premises available to a religious association free of charge. Mayor Gilles Platret (Independent Right) “welcomed” the decision, which he described as restoring the municipality “to its fundamental right”. The Council Against Islamophobia in Europe (formerly CCIF) condemned this as a “breach of equality”. This is the first French administrative decision of the new parliamentary term concerning the rules governing municipal leases granted to Muslim religious associations.
Read in this edition → - Strasbourg / Metz – On 26 September, *Le Point* reported on the referral made on 18 September by Carine Chaix, the solicitor for researcher Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, to the financial prosecutor at the Grand Est Regional Audit Office regarding the University of Strasbourg’s coverage of the legal fees of a PhD student on a fixed-term contract who is involved in defamation proceedings against the researcher
On 26 September 2026, *Le Point* published an investigative report looking back at the referral, on 18 September, by Carine Chaix, solicitor for researcher Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, against the financial prosecutor at the Grand Est Regional Audit Office, the Minister for Higher Education and the public prosecutor. The subject of the complaint: the University of Strasbourg’s payment of the legal fees of Iman El Feki, a PhD student on a fixed-term contract, in defamation proceedings brought against the researcher, even though the university’s president had stated on 22 May 2025 that the institutional immunity did not apply. The case has entered a new phase following the publication the previous week of the Danish Magaard counter-investigation (see S39).
Read in this edition → - Brussels / Paris - On 23 September, *Le Figaro* reported on the indirect European co-funding of the European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) via the DEAR programme and the TACKLE project led by Avocats sans frontières, despite the announced cessation of direct funding in 2022; a parallel investigation by AK Polis (CERIF Contribution No. 2026/30)
On 23 September 2026, *Le Figaro* published an investigation establishing that the European Commission continues to co-fund the activities of the European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), despite it having been identified since 2020 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood network, via a series of consortia: the DEAR programme (Development of Education and Awareness) funds the TACKLE project led by Lawyers Without Borders, which in turn passes funds on to FEMYSO. Direct co-funding had, however, been suspended in 2022, following the controversy sparked by the tweets of Sarah Zouak and Amel Yacef. The investigation was published in parallel with CERIF Contribution No. 2026/30, issued by the Arbeitskreis Politischer Islam (AK Polis) on 21 September 2026, which documents the financial trail. On 24 September, Front Populaire reported on the affair under the headline “Brussels is (once again) funding Islamist entryism by Muslim Brotherhood”.
Read in this edition → - Rome – On 25 September, the Italian Council of Ministers adopted a decree-law banning the full-face veil (burqa, niqab) in state and state-funded private schools, and capping the maximum proportion of non-Italian-speaking pupils per class at 30 per cent; fines of up to 1,000 euros, effective immediately, subject to parliamentary ratification within sixty days
On 25 September 2026, the Italian Council of Ministers adopted, on the proposal of the Minister for Education, Giuseppa Valditara, a decree-law banning the wearing of full-face veils (burqa, niqab, or any face-covering) in state and state-funded private schools, and capping the proportion of non-Italian-speaking pupils per class at 30 per cent. The hijab, which leaves the face visible, remains permitted. Fines of up to 1,000 euros may be imposed on those in charge of the household. The decree comes into force immediately and must be ratified by Parliament within sixty days. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni describes it as ‘common sense’; whilst Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein has denounced it as a “shameful decree”. This is the first government measure in Europe of a series which, in Austria and the United Kingdom, has so far remained at the parliamentary stage.
Read in this edition → - London – The UK Home Office has revealed that it has paid out 66 million pounds to mosques and Muslim sites through its enhanced security scheme following the Southport riots (2024), out of a total budget of 69 million for all places of worship; the programme’s recurrent budget now stands at 41 million per year
The UK Home Office revealed to *The Guardian*, in a response to a freedom of information request published on 26 September 2026, that it had paid out 66 million pounds to mosques and Muslim sites via its emergency security scheme set up following the Southport riots in the summer of 2024, out of a total budget of 69 million for all places of worship. The programme’s (Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme) recurrent budget rose from approximately 73,000 pounds in 2016–2017 to 41 million in April 2026. The 2026–2027 funding allocation for places of worship stands at 77.4 million pounds, of which 40 million is earmarked for mosques. These official figures, which until now have been piecemeal, are entering the public debate at a time when several long-standing beneficiaries of the scheme are closely associated with the brotherist movement or Deobandi networks.
Read in this edition → - Vienna – On 22 September, *Die Presse* reported that a federation of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) had provided financial support to an association linked to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and affiliated with the Diyanet, Turkey’s state religious authority.
On 22 September 2026, *Die Presse* published an investigation documenting financial sponsorship by a federation affiliated with the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich, IGGÖ), of an association close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and answerable to the Diyanet, Turkey’s state religious authority. The federation in question is part of ATIB (Türkisch-Islamische Union), which is regarded by the Austrian authorities as the institutional extension of the Diyanet. The investigation comes as the Nationalrat’s Constitutional Committee has been examining, since 17 September (see S39), the FPÖ’s draft bill to ban political-Islamist activities, and following Integration Minister Claudia Bauer’s statement in early September that she would “rule nothing out” regarding the IGGÖ.
Read in this edition → - Vienna – On 27 September, Catholic Action Austria (Katholische Aktion Österreich), a lay organisation of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, called on the federal government to set up a public agency dedicated to documenting ‘anti-democratic religious unrest’
Catholic Action Austria (Katholische Aktion Österreich), the main lay organisation of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, called on the federal government on 27 September 2026 to establish a public agency dedicated to documenting ‘anti-democratic religious agitation’. This institutional stance, which is unprecedented at this level within the Catholic Church, is in line with the remit of the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI), established in 2020 by the Austrian government. It comes in the same week as the report in *Die Presse* on the ATIB-IGGÖ sponsorship, and the announcement by the Minister for Integration, Claudia Bauer, on 26 September, of her intention to “strengthen state oversight” of denominational religious education.
Read in this edition → - Münster – On 24 September, the University of Münster will officially open Germany’s first faculty of Islamic theology; the religious council has the right to veto appointments, and a third of the seats are allocated to the Islamic Council chaired by Burhan Kesici, whose core organisations (Milli Görüş, IGMG) are classified as ‘Islamist’ by the Verfassungsschutz
On 24 September 2026, the University of Münster (Westphalische Wilhelms-Universität) officially opened Germany’s first state-recognised faculty of Islamic theology, under the leadership of theologian Mouhanad Khorchide, alongside Rector Johannes Wessels. The religious council that oversees appointments comprises one-third representatives of the German Islamic Council (Islamrat), chaired by Burhan Kesici, whose main member is Milli Görüş (IGMG). The IGMG is classified as ‘Islamist’ by the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution). The council has the right of veto over academic appointments. The Arbeitskreis Politischer Islam (AK Polis) describes the opening as a ‘false start’ (‘Fehlstart’) and recalls the Islamist attack carried out against Berlin’s Christopher Street Day in July 2026.
Read in this edition → - Washington – A coordinated flurry of statements from Republicans on 22 September calling on the Trump administration to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO); Senator Ted Cruz (Texas), and Representatives Randy Fine (Florida), Chip Roy (Texas) and Buddy Carter (Georgia) all put forward the same argument: ‘CAIR = arm of brotherism = front organisation for Hamas’
A coordinated flurry of Republican press releases was issued on 22 September 2026 calling on the Trump administration to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). Those in support include: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who had questioned FBI Director Kash Patel on this matter during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the previous week; Representative Randy Fine (R-FL), sponsor of Bill HR 4097, which requires the State Department to conduct a review within ninety days; Chip Roy (R-TX), sponsor of HR 8236 (‘Designating Hamas Affiliates in America Act of 2026’, with sixteen Republican co-signatories); and Buddy Carter (R-GA). All of them put forward the same argument drawn from the Holy Land Foundation trial (Dallas, 2008), in which CAIR was listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator”. No Democratic support has been identified. Designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) would result in the suspension of tax-exempt status, the freezing of assets and the criminalisation of material support. The summary article by The Center Square was republished by Just The News, Texas Scorecard, Jewish Insider and several Sinclair stations (WCIV, WEAR, WPBN, Fox Baltimore).
Read in this edition → - Washington / Alexandria – Under pressure from Congress and facing the threat of having its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status revoked, Islamic Relief USA (with an annual budget of $150 million) rebranded itself as Islamic Development and Empowerment in America (IDEA) on 15 September; the news gained national media coverage from 22 September onwards, ten days after the vote to expel the organisation by the international federation Islamic Relief Worldwide
Islamic Relief USA (Alexandria, Virginia; annual budget of $150 million), the leading Muslim humanitarian organisation in the United States, rebranded itself on 15 September 2026 as Islamic Development and Empowerment in America (IDEA), following several years of pressure from Congress. A House subcommittee had referred the matter to the IRS for investigation in September 2024 and again in October 2025. On 12 September 2026, the General Assembly of Islamic Relief Worldwide (Birmingham) had voted unanimously to expel Islamic Relief USA from the international federation. The news broke in the media from 22 September 2026 onwards (Religion News Service, Devex, Civil Society Media, Third Sector, CharityWatch), giving national prominence to what constitutes the first statutory change of status for a major American Muslim organisation under the second Trump administration.
Read in this edition → - Washington / Detroit - On 27 September, the Middle East Forum published a report documenting that at least two 501(c)(3) tax-exempt mosques in Michigan campaigned from the pulpit for the Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed ahead of the Democratic Senate primary on 4 August 2026; the investigation follows on from the referral made to the IRS by Representative Keith Self (R-TX) on 16 September against the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
On 27 September 2026, the Middle East Forum published a report documenting that at least two 501(c)(3) tax-exempt mosques in Michigan had campaigned from the pulpit for the Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed ahead of the Democratic Senate primary on 4 August 2026, which he won by 13,792 votes. Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi (Islamic House of Wisdom, Dearborn Heights) is quoted by name: ‘I’m going to vote for this man … voting is as wajib as prayer’. Two mosques welcomed the candidate onto the pulpit. The legal argument is based on the prohibition on 501(c)(3) organisations intervening in an election campaign. This report directly follows on from the letter dated 16 September from Representative Keith Self (R-TX) to the Treasury requesting an IRS investigation into the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) following its 63rd annual convention in Detroit (see S39). It opens up a second front on tax matters, this time targeting places of worship themselves.
Read in this edition → - Aulnay-sous-Bois – On 16 September, the Council of Ministers dissolved the Aulnay Sud Cultural Association, on the recommendation of the Minister for the Interior, Laurent Nuñez. which had been managing the mosque in the Chanteloup neighbourhood (with around 300 worshippers) since 2018; the decree, published in the Official Journal on 17 September, is based on paragraphs 6 and 7 of Article L. 212-1 of the Internal Security Code – incitement to hatred or violence, and acts intended to provoke terrorist acts, in relation to sermons by speakers glorifying martyrdom and revenge; the proceedings were preceded by the freezing of one speaker’s funds (2 July), a prefectural order to close the centre for six months (27 July) upheld by the Montreuil Administrative Court, and adversarial proceedings conducted from 3 to 22 July; the appeal lies with the Council of State as the court of first and final instance
On 16 September 2026, the Council of Ministers, acting on a proposal from the Minister for the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, ordered the dissolution of the Aulnay Sud Cultural Association (Seine-Saint-Denis), which had been managing the mosque in the Chanteloup neighbourhood of Aulnay-sous-Bois since 2018, a place of worship attended by around 300 worshippers. The decree, published in the Official Journal on 17 September, is based on paragraphs 6 and 7 of Article L. 212-1 of the Internal Security Code: incitement to hatred or violence, and acts intended to provoke acts of terrorism, in relation to sermons by speakers glorifying martyrdom and revenge. The proceedings were preceded by the freezing of one speaker’s funds on 2 July, a prefectural order closing the centre for six months issued on 27 July and upheld in August by the Montreuil Administrative Court, and a hearing held from 3 to 22 July. Any appeal against the decree falls, in the first and final instance, within the jurisdiction of the Council of State. This is the first visible action taken by the Ministry of the Interior in the brotherist case since the start of the new parliamentary session, following a month of August during which it had remained inactive (see S38).
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 16 September, Marine Le Pen (RN) announced on the France 2 programme ‘L’événement’ a referendum ‘on the fight against Islamism’, combining several measures: a phased ban on the veil in public spaces, starting with universities, school trips, sports federations and public buildings; the closure of ‘radical mosques’; controls on foreign funding; the deportation of “imams making unacceptable remarks”; and a ban on Muslim Brotherhood; she has separated this referendum from her constitutional proposal on immigration, making it a second consultation to be held during her five-year term
On 16 September 2026, Marine Le Pen, appearing on the programme ‘L’événement’ on France 2, set out the timetable for a referendum ‘on the fight against Islamism’ should she be elected in 2027. The text would include the gradual ban on the veil in public spaces, beginning with a decree targeting universities, school trips, sports federations and public buildings; the closure of ‘radical mosques’; the monitoring of foreign funding; the deportation of “imams making unacceptable remarks”; and the banning of Muslim Brotherhood. She distinguishes this consultation from her constitutional referendum on immigration, specifying that it would be held during her five-year term, not immediately. The announcement continues the series of events initiated on 31 August by the RN and subsequently discussed by Bruno Retailleau (LR) on Europe 1 on 8 September (covered in S38): the legal feasibility of the veil and the ban on brotherism are explicitly included in the presidential agenda. The president of the CFCM, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, responded as early as 14 September on Beur FM (“Muslims are not guests of the Republic”).
Read in this edition → - Paris – MP Constance Le Grip (Together for the Republic, Hauts-de-Seine, 6th constituency) tabled written question No. 18209 on 15 September, entitled ‘European funding for FEMYSO and the fight against Islamist infiltration’, addressed to the Minister for Europe; she highlighted the continued flow of European funding to projects involving the European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), a long-standing European affiliate of Muslim Brotherhood, and asks what funding directly or indirectly benefits FEMYSO and what initiatives Paris will take with the European Commission to strengthen transparency and oversight; the question was tabled six days before the EADAI conference organised by FEMYSO at the European Parliament on 21 September
On 15 September 2026, MP Constance Le Grip (Ensemble pour la République, Hauts-de-Seine, 6th constituency) tabled written question No. 18209 ‘European funding for FEMYSO and the fight against Islamist infiltration’, addressed to the Minister of State attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for European affairs. The text highlights the continued flow of European funding to projects involving the European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), despite documented links to Muslim Brotherhood, and recalls the 2022 statement in which the Commission indicated that FEMYSO was no longer receiving direct funding. He asks the government what information it holds regarding this funding and what initiatives it will take with the European Commission to strengthen transparency and oversight of grants. The question was tabled six days before FEMYSO was due to hold its annual conference, the ‘European Action Day Against Islamophobia’, at the European Parliament on 21 September (see Europe section): Paris is positioning the Commission ahead of the Brussels event and bringing the issue of controlling European funding flows into the French parliamentary debate.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 14 September, the weekly magazine *Politique Matin* published a feature article entitled ‘Florence Bergeaud-Blackler: when a scientific controversy becomes a matter of reputation’, which examines – following Tina Magaard’s Danish counter-investigation (Weekendavisen, 11 September) – which was already covered in issue S38 – the way in which academic criticism levelled at ‘Broderismen’ (the Danish translation of ‘brotherism and its networks’) and reported in February by Le Monde has shifted towards personal accusations; on 19 September, a video conference entitled ‘Muslim Brotherhood: how do their standards become established?’ broadened the controversy to reach the general public
On 14 September 2026, the weekly magazine *Politique Matin* published a lengthy article entitled ‘Florence Bergeaud-Blackler: when a scientific controversy becomes a matter of reputation’. It draws on the counter-investigation published on 11 September in the Danish newspaper Weekendavisen by researcher Tina Magaard (formerly of Aarhus University), covered in S38, and examines how the criticisms levelled by Lene Kühle and Manni Crone against ‘Broderismen ’ (the Danish translation of ‘brotherism and its networks’), which were reprinted by *Le Monde* in February 2026, strayed from the scientific realm and descended into personal recrimination. The article explicitly raises the issue of researchers’ self-censorship on sensitive topics when attacks on their reputation take precedence over peer review. The following day, Politique Matin published a second article, ‘The Danish counter-investigation that undermines the accusations against his book’, this time focusing on the five methodological issues identified by Magaard. On 19 September, a video conference entitled “The Muslim Brotherhood: how do their standards prevail?” brought the controversy to the attention of the general public. Le Monde has not responded to date.
Read in this edition → - Strasbourg / Paris – Ms Carine Chaix, solicitor for the researcher Florence Bergeaud-Blackler (CNRS), on 18 September referred the matter to the financial prosecutor of the Grand Est Regional Audit Office regarding the University of Strasbourg’s coverage of the legal fees of Iman El Feki, a PhD student on a fixed-term contract who, in March 2025, brought a defamation case against the researcher; the university had, however, stated in a letter dated 22 May 2025, signed by its president Frédérique Berrod, that the PhD student was not entitled to the functional protection afforded to public officials, yet the funding was reportedly provided nonetheless; a copy was sent to the Minister for Higher Education and the Public Prosecutor; the case, which was made public on 21 September by *Opinion Internationale*, opens up a financial avenue distinct from the academic and media spheres (see the Danish counter-investigation, *Politique Matin*, pp. 38–39)
On 18 September 2026, Carine Chaix, solicitor for the researcher Florence Bergeaud-Blackler (CNRS, author of ‘brotherism and its networks’), submitted a report to the financial prosecutor of the Grand Est Regional Audit Office concerning the University of Strasbourg’s payment of the legal fees of Iman El Feki, a doctoral student on a fixed-term contract, in defamation proceedings brought by the latter against the researcher in March 2025. However, a letter dated 22 May 2025, signed by the university’s president, Frédérique Berrod, stated that the PhD student was not entitled to the functional protection afforded to public officials; the funding was nevertheless reportedly provided. The report, made public on 21 September by Opinion Internationale, questions the legal basis for this public expenditure and its compliance with the institution’s statutory remit. A copy has been sent to the Minister for Higher Education and to the Public Prosecutor. This referral opens up a financial and administrative avenue distinct from the academic and media coverage that has been ongoing since February 2026 (the Danish Magaard counter-investigation, articles in *Politique Matin* – see previous item).
Read in this edition → - Paris – Islamologist Gilles Kepel, speaking on Europe 1 on 20 September, described “a problem of spiritual and intellectual guidance within Islam in France” and linked this lack of guidance to the infiltration of networks brotherists into the voluntary and educational sectors, at a time when the dissolution of the Aulnay Sud Cultural Association (16 September) and the referendum announced by Marine Le Pen (16 September) have put the issue on the presidential agenda
On 20 September 2026, the Islamologist Gilles Kepel (École normale supérieure) appeared as a guest on Europe 1. He described “a problem of spiritual and intellectual guidance within French Islam” and linked this institutional vacuum to the infiltration of brotherist networks into the voluntary and educational sectors. The interview took place at a time when the dissolution of the Aulnay Sud Cultural Association (16 September) and Marine Le Pen’s proposal for a referendum (16 September) had made the issue of political Islamism a pre-presidential campaign topic. It builds on the academic side of the argument put forward since 2023 by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler.
Read in this edition → - Vienna – On 17 September, the Constitutional Committee of the Nationalrat (Austrian National Council) is to examine the draft resolution tabled by the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ, the main opposition party) aimed at banning all ‘political-Islamist’ activity, to dissolve organisations affiliated with this ideology, and to strip those who adhere to or support it of their Austrian citizenship; the draft specifically targets Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hizb ut-Tahrir, and leaves open the possibility of action against the Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich (IGGÖ); it follows on from the announcement, on 31 August by Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) of a constitutional reform against ‘political Islam’ and the announcement by Integration Minister Claudia Bauer (ÖVP, covered in S37) of a bill to ban these organisations
On 17 September 2026, the Constitutional Committee of the Austrian Nationalrat debated the draft resolution tabled by the FPÖ (Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs, the main opposition party) seeking to ban all ‘political-Islamist’ activity, to dissolve organisations affiliated with this ideology, and to strip those who adhere to or support it of their Austrian citizenship. The text explicitly targets Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hizb ut-Tahrir; it leaves open the possibility of taking action against the Islamische Glaubensgemeinschaft in Österreich (IGGÖ), the official body representing the Muslim community. The draft bill follows on, in legislative terms, from the announcement on 31 August by Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) of a constitutional reform against ‘political Islam’, and the announcement on 5 September by the Minister for Integration, Claudia Bauer (ÖVP, covered in S37), of a draft bill to ban such organisations. Austria is the first country in continental Europe to enshrine such a measure at constitutional level.
Read in this edition → - London – On 17 September, the Daily Express reported on growing parliamentary support in Westminster for the Home Office’s ban on Muslim Brotherhood; the article follows on from the TRENDS forum on 8 September in the House of Lords (covered in S38), where former MP Daniel Kawczynski had explicitly called for such a ban, and from the contemporaneous analysis by the Middle East Forum (18 September, written by Sam Westrop) criticising Labour Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, former chair of the Conservative Party, for her refusal to characterise the issue
On 17 September 2026, the Daily Express reported on a growing cross-party movement in Westminster in favour of the Home Office banning Muslim Brotherhood. The article follows the TRENDS Research and Advisory forum held on 8 September in the House of Lords (covered in S38), during which former Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski had explicitly called on the Home Office to ban the movement. The following day, 18 September, the Middle East Forum published an analysis by Sam Westrop entitled ‘Baroness Warsi: Unable – or Unwilling – to Defend Civil Society in the UK”, which criticises the former chair of the Conservative Party – now a Labour baroness – for her refusal to address the issue and her failure to support civil society organisations facing pressure from groups linked to the Brotherhood. The UK dossier remains, at this stage, under parliamentary debate, with no announcement from the Starmer government.
Read in this edition → - Lambeth – On 17 September, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, withdrew the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation, which she had presented on 11 September to the Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi; the withdrawal follows an online controversy highlighting Ashrafi’s stance against the repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and laws on child marriage, his praise of Osama bin Laden, his accusations that Jews and Christians are conspiring against nuclear-armed Pakistan, and his support for suicide bombings; the incident has reignited the debate in London over the vetting of religious figures honoured by British institutions
On 17 September 2026, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, withdrew the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation which she had presented six days earlier, on 11 September at Lambeth Palace, to the Pakistani cleric Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi. The withdrawal follows a public controversy highlighting Ashrafi’s views: opposition to the repeal of Pakistan’s blasphemy and child marriage laws, public praise for Osama bin Laden, allegations that Jews and Christians are conspiring against nuclear-armed Pakistan, and support for suicide bombings. The Archbishop’s Office had sought clarification on these matters before withdrawing the honour. The incident has reignited the debate in London over the vetting of religious figures associated with British institutions and echoes ongoing parliamentary discussions on the proscription of Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - Berlin – On 16 September, the Federal Cabinet adopted the ‘10-Point Plan for Better Protection against Islamist Terrorism ’ presented by the Ministers for the Interior and Justice, in response to the attack on Berlin’s Christopher Street Day on 25 July 2026 (a vehicle ramming incident in the Tiergarten, resulting in one death and 31 injuries); the plan harmonises rules between the federal government and the Länder on electronic tagging and the pre-trial detention of dangerous individuals, raises the minimum sentence for knife attacks to one year, explicitly enshrines the public interest in public safety within juvenile criminal law, provides for a joint federal-state action plan ‘against Islamism’, extends the powers of the police and intelligence services, and introduces the retention of IP addresses for online investigations
On 16 September 2026, the German Federal Cabinet adopted a plan entitled ‘Strengthening Security, Preserving Freedom, Preventing Radicalisation – A 10-Point Plan for Better Protection against Islamist Terrorism’. The document, presented jointly by the Federal Minister of the Interior and the Federal Minister of Justice, was drawn up in response to the attack on Berlin’s Christopher Street Day on 25 July 2026 (a vehicle ramming incident in the Tiergarten, resulting in one death and 31 injuries). It harmonises the rules between the federal government and the Länder on electronic tagging and the pre-trial detention of dangerous individuals, raises the minimum sentence for knife attacks to one year, enshrines public safety considerations in juvenile criminal law, provides for a joint federal-state action plan ‘against Islamism’, extends the powers of the police and intelligence services, and introduces the retention of IP addresses for online investigations. The government emphasises that it is acting “without compromising the rule of law”. Germany thus joins, through a cabinet-level bill and via the federal channel, the Austrian and British developments of the week regarding the public curbing of political Islam.
Read in this edition → - Frankfurt am Main - Ethnologist Susanne Schröter, former director of the Frankfurter Forschungszentrum Globaler Islam (FFGI), which was closed by Goethe University on 30 September 2025 following institutional pressure, announced on 16 September the launch of the Institut für Demokratie und Islam (Indemis, Frankfurt); the association’s stated mission is to give a voice to ‘liberal Muslim voices’ and to study ‘all forms of Islamism’, including non-violent ‘legalist’ Islamism, in order to inform policy, the judiciary, education, the media and civil society; founding members Ahmad Mansour (psychologist, Berlin) and Ali Ertan Toprak (chair of the Kurdische Gemeinde Deutschland, Berlin/Hamburg); scientific advisory board comprising Mouhanad Khorchide (Islamic theology, Münster) and Ruud Koopmans (migration research, Berlin)
On 16 September 2026, the ethnologist Susanne Schröter, former director of the Frankfurter Forschungszentrum Globaler Islam (FFGI) – which was closed by Goethe University on 30 September 2025 following institutional pressure – announced the launch in Frankfurt of the Institut für Demokratie und Islam (Indemis). The association’s stated mission is to give a voice to ‘liberal Muslim voices’ and to study ‘all forms of Islamism’, including non-violent ‘legalist’ Islamism, in order to inform policy-making, the judiciary, education, the media and civil society. Among the founding members are the psychologist Ahmad Mansour (Berlin) and the president of the Kurdische Gemeinde Deutschland, Ali Ertan Toprak (Berlin/Hamburg). The scientific advisory board comprises the theologian Mouhanad Khorchide (University of Münster) and the sociologist Ruud Koopmans (Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung). The timing is striking: on the very same 16 September that the Federal Government adopted its ten-point plan to combat Islamist terrorism (see previous item), the academic civil society re-established, through a private association, the German centre of expertise on political Islam that the university had allowed to close a year earlier.
Read in this edition → - London/Alexandria – On 12 September, Islamic Relief Worldwide (Birmingham) voted at its general meeting to permanently expel its US affiliate, Islamic Relief USA (Alexandria, Virginia), from the international federation; the subsidiary, which had sued the parent organisation in March in the Southern District of New York to preserve its 501(c)(3) tax status following the House Ways and Means Committee’s investigation into IRW’s alleged links to Hamas and anti-Semitism, renamed itself three days later as ‘Islamic Development & Empowerment in America’ (IDEA); in 2024, IRUSA generated 50.4 million pounds for IRW, representing nearly a fifth of its total revenue (analysis by the GW Programme on Extremism)
On 12 September 2026, the general assembly of Islamic Relief Worldwide (Birmingham, United Kingdom), the parent organisation of the Islamic Relief federation, voted to permanently expel its US affiliate, Islamic Relief USA (Alexandria, Virginia), citing a breach of trust and damage caused ‘to the work of the entire federation’. The split is the culmination of legal proceedings initiated in March 2026 by IRUSA itself in the Southern District of New York, with the subsidiary accusing IRW of jeopardising its US 501(c)(3) tax status following the House Ways and Means Committee’s investigation, which documented IRW’s alleged links to Hamas and a history of anti-Semitic behaviour. Three days after the vote, IRUSA closed its long-standing website and launched a new one under the name ‘Islamic Development & Empowerment in America’ (IDEA), signalling its intention to sever ties with the original federation. The split has far-reaching financial implications: in 2024, according to an analysis by the GW Programme on Extremism, IRUSA generated 50.4 million pounds for IRW, representing nearly a fifth of its total revenue. The split publicly highlights the contentious fragility of one of the leading transatlantic Islamic NGOs.
Read in this edition → - Brussels – The European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), an organisation described in the 2020 French administrative memo as the main European youth arm of Muslim Brotherhood, is holding its annual EADAI (European Action Day Against Islamophobia) conference at the European Parliament on 21 September, co-funded by the European Commission; the event brings together MEPs, decision-makers and journalists for panel discussions on Islamophobia, and comes at a time when three European states (Austria, the United Kingdom and France) are actively discussing the banning of the movement from which FEMYSO originated
On 21 September 2026, the European Forum of Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO), an organisation identified by the French administrative note of November 2020 as the main European youth arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, is holding its annual EADAI (European Action Day Against Islamophobia) conference at the European Parliament in Brussels, co-funded by the European Commission. The event brings together MEPs, policymakers, journalists and civil society representatives for panel discussions on ‘systemic Islamophobia’ in Europe. The timing – the very same week in which the Austrian Nationalrat is considering a bill to ban the organisation, Westminster is documenting a similar parliamentary motion, and the French Council of Ministers is dissolving an association linked to a radicalised mosque – illustrates the political contradiction in which the European Union finds itself: it publicly funds an organisation belonging to the very same movement that its Member States are seeking to curb.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 16 September, Representative Keith Self (R-TX) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling for the IRS to launch an investigation into the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) following its 63rd annual convention in Detroit (the Labour Day weekend, 4–7 September), where the campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Michigan, ran a stand, solicited donations (including a $50 contribution in exchange for a campaign T-shirt) and volunteers, and was introduced on stage by ISNA’s CEO, Azhar Azeez, as ‘the 2026 Democratic candidate for the US Senate from Michigan’; the ISNA CEO is thus alleged to have breached the prohibition on 501(c)(3) organisations interfering in an election campaign
On 16 September 2026, Representative Keith Self (R-TX) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asking the IRS to investigate the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) for an alleged breach of the prohibition on 501(c)(3) organisations interfering in an election campaign. The letter draws on an exclusive report by the Middle East Forum on ISNA’s 63rd annual convention, held in Detroit from 4 to 7 September. It documents that ISNA’s CEO, Azhar Azeez, introduced Abdul El-Sayed on stage as ‘the 2026 Democratic candidate for the US Senate from Michigan’, that the campaign had a stand displaying banners ‘Abdul for U.S. Senate’ and ‘Muslims for Abdul’, that his staff solicited donations and volunteers, distributed a QR code questionnaire for contributions, and offered a campaign T-shirt in exchange for a $50 donation. This development follows on from the sequence introduced in S38 by Fox News’ coverage of the Detroit convention, and forms part of the shift in American politics described at the outset: with progress stalled at the state nomination stage, federal pressure is shifting towards tax policy and legal disputes.
Read in this edition → - Dearborn (Michigan) – Lawyer Margot Cleveland (The Federalist, American Freedom Law Centre) is taking legal action on 17 September in the US District Court against the mayor of Lebanese origin, Abdullah Hammoud, and the city for violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment; the complaint alleges that the council spent $6,500 of public funds on ‘Ramadan Kareem’ banners and crescent-and-star lights on municipal street lighting, without allocating an equivalent amount to Easter, Passover, Christmas, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, despite the complainant’s repeated requests; the complaint also includes a claim of retaliation under the First Amendment
On 17 September 2026, the lawyer Margot Cleveland, a regular contributor to *The Federalist* and represented by the American Freedom Law Centre (AFLC), brought a case before the US District Court against the mayor of Dearborn (Wayne County, Michigan) Abdullah Hammoud and the city council in the US District Court for violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and for First Amendment retaliation. The complaint alleges that the city spent approximately $6,500 of public funds – $1,500 on ‘Ramadan Kareem’ banners ’ and $5,000 on crescent-and-star illuminations on municipal lighting – without allocating an equivalent budget for Easter, Passover, Christmas, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, despite his repeated requests. The summons transforms a local dispute over religious decorations into a constitutional test of municipal neutrality in a city where the majority of the population is Arab-Muslim and the mayor is a Democrat. On the civil law front, it echoes the tax investigation launched by Keith Self into ISNA: both US cases this week centre on the legal challenge to the public space accorded to Islamic organisations.
Read in this edition → - San Diego (California) – On 15 September, the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution, proposed by Councillor Sean Elo-Rivera and Council Chair Joe LaCava, setting out an official definition of ‘Islamophobia’; the text, modelled on the terminology used internationally by CAIR, FEMYSO and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, defines Islamophobia as “a form of racism, prejudice, discrimination, hostility or hatred” directed at real or perceived Muslims and their property, which may manifest itself in particular through speech, institutional practices, exclusion, intimidation or violence; the adoption was welcomed at a press conference at the town hall by Tazheen Nizam, executive director of CAIR-San Diego – according to the organisation, this is the first resolution of its kind in California and the third at national level; the resolution was adopted four months after the 18 May shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego (two white supremacist teenagers, three dead)
On 15 September 2026, San Diego City Council unanimously adopted, on a motion put forward by Councillor Sean Elo-Rivera and Council Chair Joe LaCava, a resolution setting out an official definition of ‘Islamophobia’. The text describes Islamophobia as “a form of racism, prejudice, discrimination, hostility or hatred” directed at Muslims “or people perceived to be Muslim, or their property”, which may manifest itself “through words, actions, institutional practices, exclusion, intimidation, harassment or violence’. The wording draws on the terminology promoted internationally by lobby groups brotherist (CAIR, FEMYSO, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation). Tazheen Nizam, executive director of CAIR-San Diego, spoke publicly at a press conference at the town hall to welcome the measure. According to CAIR, this is the first resolution of its kind adopted in California and the third at national level. The adoption comes four months after the shooting on 18 May 2026 at the Islamic Centre of San Diego (two white supremacist teenagers, three dead). This is a political counterpoint to the designation of CAIR as a ‘terrorist’ organisation by Florida (11 September, covered in S38) and Texas: in the same week, local authorities in California have, by contrast, incorporated the terminology championed by the movement into local law.
Read in this edition → - Washington – A 5 August report by Fox News, featured in this week’s round-up, reports that Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign for the Michigan Senate has raised $115,000 from 41 individuals linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organisation designated as a terrorist group by the United Arab Emirates, Florida and Texas; donors include CAIR’s national board chair Manal Fakhoury, treasurer Eyas Abdeen, and the candidate’s father-in-law, Jukaku Tayeb, a founding member of the ISNA committee; the article has resurfaced because it forms the factual basis on which Keith Self is building his IRS investigation
The Fox News article (by Andrew Mark Miller and Kiera McDonald) published on 5 August 2026 under the headline ‘Abdul El-Sayed accepted $115K from CAIR-affiliated donors, records show’ has resurfaced this week because it forms the factual basis on which Keith Self is building his request for an IRS investigation. It documents that Abdul El-Sayed’s campaign for the Michigan Senate raised at least $115,000 from 41 individuals linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organisation designated as a terrorist group by the United Arab Emirates, Florida and Texas. The list of donors includes CAIR’s national board chair, Manal Fakhoury; national treasurer, Eyas Abdeen; and El-Sayed’s father-in-law, Jukaku Tayeb, a founding member of the ISNA committee. CAIR was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2007 federal Holy Land Foundation case concerning the financing of terrorism; the organisation disputes this status. El-Sayed defeated Democratic MP Haley Stevens in the primary and will face Republican Mike Rogers in November.
Read in this edition → - Ottawa – The ISGAP (Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy) report ‘Assault on Democratic Values and Principles: How Islamist Entryism Weakens Civil Society and Higher Education in Canada’, published on 24 August by Charles Asher Small, continues to circulate in the press and on university campuses during the week of 14–21 September; it documents 3.8 million Canadian dollars in Qatar-linked funding at the University of Waterloo alone (over 10.5 million including scholarships), a coordinated campaign that secured 344 endorsements from candidates in the 2025 federal election, and highlights the Canada Revenue Agency’s 2021 review of the Muslim Association of Canada; it proposes the creation of a national reporting regime for foreign funding of universities and associations, which is currently lacking in Canada
The report ‘Assault on Democratic Values and Principles: How Islamist Entryism Weakens Civil Society and Higher Education in Canada’, published on 24 August 2026 by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) under the direction of its executive director, Charles Asher Small, continues to circulate in the Canadian press and on university campuses during the week of 14 to 21 September. It documents approximately 3.8 million Canadian dollars in Qatar-linked funding at the University of Waterloo alone (over 10.5 million including scholarships), a coordinated campaign that secured the endorsement of 344 candidates from four political parties in the 2025 Canadian federal election for a single initiative, and highlights the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) in 2021 for foreign political activity and financial irregularities. The report recommends the establishment of a national regime for the disclosure of foreign funding to universities and associations, which is currently absent from Canadian law. In a country that has just adopted Bill 9 on secularism in Quebec (S37-S38), this aligns with an institutional movement to bring funding flows and networks into the open.
Read in this edition → - Sydney – The British historian Lord Andrew Roberts (Baron Roberts of Belgravia), a guest at the Centre for Independent Studies’ (CIS) annual gala in Sydney, delivered a speech on 16 September calling on Western governments to “ban Muslim Brotherhood and their network of businesses, associations, NGOs and media organisations”, describing the movement as “the world’s largest jihadist organisation”; the call was echoed on 18 September by Lyle Shelton, national director of the Family First party and candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Council, who called on the Albanese federal government to take action, citing the anti-Semitic arson attacks that had taken place in Australia over the past year
On 16 September 2026, the British historian Lord Andrew Roberts (Baron Roberts of Belgravia), a guest at the Centre for Independent Studies’ (CIS) annual gala in Sydney, delivered a speech in which he called on Western governments to “ban the Muslim Brotherhood and their network of businesses, associations, NGOs and media organisations’, describing the movement as “the world’s largest jihadist organisation” and arguing that allowing these networks to operate unhindered is incompatible with a serious policy to combat antisemitism. On 18 September, Lyle Shelton, national director of the Family First Party and candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Council, echoed the call and urged both Anthony Albanese’s federal government and the Australian security agencies to urgently investigate the Brotherhood and its Australian networks, drawing on the events following 7 October and the Bondi massacre (December 2025). This development links Australia to the transatlantic movement documented this week in Vienna, London and Paris.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 11 September, the Palais du Luxembourg will host the second part of the 6th annual forum organised by the Emirati think tank TRENDS Research and Advisory on political Islam, following an initial session at the House of Lords; Senator Nathalie Goulet (Orne), the former Vice-Chair of the European Affairs Committee André Reichardt, the former British Ambassador Sir John Jenkins, Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri (Mohamed bin Zayed University), Wael Saleh and Yamine Sétoul are calling for the harmonisation of European legislation on foreign funding and for the creation of joint digital vigilance mechanisms to counter the use of AI and video games by brotherist networks
On 11 September 2026, the sixth annual TRENDS Research and Advisory Forum (an Emirati think tank based in Abu Dhabi) on political Islam was held at the Palais du Luxembourg, under the title ‘A unified European response to the threat of Muslim Brotherhood’. It followed on from an initial session held three days earlier at the House of Lords in London. The conference brought together Senator Nathalie Goulet (Orne), the former Vice-Chair of the European Affairs Committee André Reichardt, the former British Ambassador Sir John Jenkins, Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri (Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities), Yamine Sétoul and Wael Saleh (TRENDS France/Canada). The speakers called for the harmonisation of European legislation on foreign funding, for the strengthening of oversight of financial flows, and for the creation of joint digital vigilance mechanisms in response to the use of AI and video games by brotherist networks for recruitment purposes.
Read in this edition → - Lille – The Private Education Consultative Committee, convened by Bertrand Gaume, Prefect of Hauts-de-France, voted on 10 September by 18 votes to 3 (with 3 abstentions) against the reinstatement of the association contract for the Averroès Muslim secondary school, which was terminated in December 2023; the report details breaches of the Republic’s fundamental principles and highlights several million euros of Qatari funding that has benefited the school and the Islamic Centre in Villeneuve-d’Ascq; the school, which has been operating without a contract since 8 July 2026 (following the overturning on appeal of the ruling to reinstate the contract on procedural grounds), is welcoming 380 pupils this term, 61 per cent of whom are on scholarships
On 10 September 2026, the Private Education Consultative Committee, to which the matter had been referred by Bertrand Gaume, Prefect of Hauts-de-France, voted 18 to 3, with 3 abstentions, against the reinstatement of the association contract for the Averroès Muslim secondary school in Lille, which had been terminated in December 2023. The report reiterates the ‘serious breaches of the fundamental principles of the Republic’ cited in 2023, as well as alleged links to the brotherist movement and Qatari funding – several million euros of which, according to the commission, had benefited the school and the Islamic Centre in Villeneuve-d’Ascq. The school, which has been operating without a state contract since 8 July 2026 (following the overturning on appeal of the ruling reinstating its contract on procedural grounds), is welcoming 380 pupils this term, 61 per cent of whom are on grants; its headteacher, Éric Dufour, has announced that the legal proceedings will continue. The prefect is due to issue his official decision in the coming days. In 2008, Averroès was the first Muslim secondary school in mainland France to have been awarded such a contract.
Read in this edition → - Paris/Copenhagen – On 12 September, CERIF published an article drawing on the analysis by Danish researcher Tina Magaard (Weekendavisen, 11 September), which refutes the criticisms levelled this summer by Lene Kühle and Manni Crone against the book *Broderismen ’ (the Danish translation of Florence Bergeaud-Blackler’s ‘brotherism and its networks’) and subsequently reported by *Le Monde*; the analysis identifies five systematic problems – minor errors blown out of proportion into accusations, positions attributed to Florence Bergeaud-Blackler that do not correspond to her actual words, fabricated and unsubstantiated accusations, manipulation of quotations (including the removal of the word ‘only’ from a Besson quotation) and unfounded questioning of the authenticity of documents
On 11 September 2026, the Danish researcher Tina Magaard (formerly of Aarhus University) published in the weekly newspaper *Weekendavisen* a lengthy, methodical analysis of the criticisms levelled this summer by Lene Kühle and Manni Crone against the book *Broderismen ’ (the Danish translation of Florence Bergeaud-Blackler’s ‘brotherism and its networks’), which Le Monde had reported on in February 2026. Magaard identifies five systematic problems: minor errors blown out of proportion into accusations, positions attributed to Florence Bergeaud-Blackler that do not correspond to her actual words, fabricated and unsubstantiated accusations, manipulation of quotations (including the removal of the word ‘sole’ from a Besson quotation) and unfounded questioning of the authenticity of documents. On 12 September, CERIF published an article setting out the analysis; *Opinion Internationale* and *La Nouvelle Revue Politique* reprinted it on 13 September. *Le Monde* has not, to date, responded.
Read in this edition → - Paris – Bruno Retailleau (Les Républicains), a guest on ‘Objectif Élysée 2027’ on Europe 1 and CNEWS on 8 September, considers the ban on the veil in public spaces proposed by the National Rally to be ‘unenforceable’ in its current form; he advocates a ban “wherever possible” (in sport, schools and universities) and links the wearing of the veil to immigration, calling for “a reduction in immigration” as a condition for a decline in the wearing of this symbol of dress
On 8 September 2026, Bruno Retailleau, leader of Les Républicains and a declared candidate for the 2027 presidential election, was a guest on the programme “Objectif Élysée 2027” on Europe 1 and CNEWS. He considers the National Rally’s proposal to ban the veil in public spaces – revived by Marine Le Pen on 31 August – to be “unworkable” in its current form. He advocates a ban “wherever possible” – in sport, schools and universities – and links the wearing of the veil to immigration, calling for “a reduction in immigration” as a condition for a decline in the wearing of this garment. The statement continues the narrative that began in S37: the divide between the parliamentary right and the National Rally on the headscarf is crystallising around legal feasibility rather than the substance of the issue.
Read in this edition → - London – On 8 September, the House of Lords is hosting the 6th annual forum organised by the Emirati think tank TRENDS Research and Advisory on Muslim Brotherhood networks in Europe; Baroness Deech, Baroness Foster of Oxton, Lady Olga Maitland, former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden, former Labour minister Ivan Lewis, Lord Walney, former MP Daniel Kawczynski, Tom Wilson (Counter Extremism Group) and Alan Mendoza (Henry Jackson Society) will speak at the event; Kawczynski calls on the Home Office to ban Muslim Brotherhood, whilst Lord Walney denounces a ‘blind spot’ allowing brotherist networks to infiltrate charities and the education sector
On 8 September 2026, the House of Lords hosted the sixth annual forum organised by the Emirati think tank TRENDS Research and Advisory (Abu Dhabi), focusing on political Islam; this year’s event examined the networks of Muslim Brotherhood in Europe, their funding, and their influence in the fields of education and digital media. Speakers included Baroness Deech, Baroness Foster of Oxton and Lady Olga Maitland, former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Oliver Dowden, former Labour minister Ivan Lewis, Lord Walney, former MP Daniel Kawczynski, Tom Wilson (Counter Extremism Group) and Alan Mendoza (Henry Jackson Society). Kawczynski explicitly called on the Home Office to ban Muslim Brotherhood; Lord Walney referred to a ‘blind spot’ allowing brotherist networks and think tanks to infiltrate charities and the education sector. Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri (Mohamed bin Zayed University) described the United Kingdom as “a long-standing hub for individuals and networks associated with Muslim Brotherhood and political Islam”. The event continued on 11 September at the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris.
Read in this edition → - Brussels – On 11 September, in ‘Detecting and countering misuse of AI: September 2026’, Anthropic revealed an influence operation attributed ‘with a high degree of confidence’ to officials from the Emirati government, referred to internally as ‘Deadshot’; the actor used Claude as the central tool in a “coordinated transatlantic and regional operation to dismantle the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide”: around 300 fake social media accounts, a fake NGO impersonating a Swiss human rights organisation, the drafting of testimonies submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, and the compilation of personal dossiers on 18 Members of the European Parliament and journalists covering the story
On 11 September 2026, Anthropic published its report ‘Detecting and countering misuse of AI: September 2026’, which it attributed ‘with a high degree of confidence’ to officials from the government of the United Arab Emirates. The operation, known internally as ‘Deadshot’ and tracked under the reference GTG-84002, used Claude as the central tool in a ‘coordinated transatlantic and regional operation to dismantle the Muslim Brotherhood worldwide’: around 300 fake social media accounts, a fake NGO impersonating a Swiss human rights organisation, the drafting of testimonies submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, and the compilation of personal dossiers on 18 Members of the European Parliament and journalists covering the story. The operation aimed simultaneously to influence perceptions of the UAE’s role in the war in Sudan and to compile counter-case files targeting UN Special Rapporteurs who had criticised the UAE’s conduct. The revelation comes three days after the TRENDS forum at the House of Lords and on the same day as its follow-up at the Palais du Luxembourg – further, this time overt, vehicles for the same Emirati public policy.
Read in this edition → - London – MI5 Director-General Sir Ken McCallum, in his annual review on 11 September at Thames House, once again put the Islamist threat at 75 per cent of Britain’s counter-terrorism work (25 per cent far-right), cited a recently foiled Islamist plot to kill “hundreds” of people with firearms in Manchester’s Jewish community, and described growing state-sponsored hostility carried out by criminal proxies; he warns that the next ‘strategic shock’ on the scale of 9/11 may be brewing in areas where the security services are paying less attention
On 11 September 2026, at Thames House, the Director-General of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, presented his annual threat assessment to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11. He reiterates that the 75 per cent Islamist / 25 per cent far-right split remains the framework for British counter-terrorism work and cites a recently foiled Islamist plot aimed at killing ‘hundreds’ of people with firearms in Manchester’s Jewish community. He describes growing state-sponsored hostility (sabotage by criminal proxies, cyber-attacks on power stations) and a jihadist aspiration to carry out mass attacks that remains very much alive. He warns that the next 9/11-style ‘strategic shock’ may be brewing where the security services are least vigilant. The speech comes in the wake of the TRENDS forum at the House of Lords, which, three days earlier, called on Whitehall to ban Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - Vienna - On 10 September, the Documentation Centre for Political Islam (DPI) published its 2026 annual report, ‘New Islamist Identity Models as a Challenge’, documenting the close links between Diyanet and ATIB in Austria (imams sent from Ankara, centralised Friday sermons), Hamas as a “Palestinian offshoot” of the Muslim Brotherhood, combining charitable and political arms, and a new “lifestyle” political Islam ecosystem via influencers, fitness camps (Rujulah 1000, Deenathletic) and targeted manipulation of Wikipedia; ÖVP city councillor Caroline Hungerländer called later that day for a review of all Viennese municipal subsidies
On 10 September 2026, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI), an Austrian documentation centre founded in 2020, published its 2026 annual report under the title ‘Neue islamistische Identitätsangebote als Herausforderung ’ (‘New Islamist Identity Proposals as a Challenge’). The report documents the close connection between the Turkish religious authority Diyanet and the ATIB association in Austria – imams sent from Ankara, centralised Friday sermons – analyses Hamas as a ‘Palestinian offshoot’ of the Muslim Brotherhood, combining charitable and political branches, and describes a new ecosystem of ‘lifestyle’ political Islam via influencers, fitness camps (Rujulah 1000, Deenathletic) and targeted manipulation of Wikipedia. ÖVP city councillor Caroline Hungerländer called later that day for a review of all Viennese municipal grants to identify links with political Islam organisations, accusing the SPÖ-Neos coalition of ‘turning a blind eye’. The publication follows on from the announcement made on 5 September by Integration Minister Claudia Bauer (ÖVP) of a draft bill to ban the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah and Hizb ut-Tahrir (covered in S37).
Read in this edition → - Tallahassee – On 11 September, Governor DeSantis and his cabinet approved, in less than two minutes, the regulation authorising the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to recommend the designation of organisations as domestic or foreign terrorist groups; three organisations are currently targeted – the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa – with more than 90 other recommendations under consideration; the designation takes effect thirty days after publication in the Florida Administrative Register, with organisations having seven days to lodge a written objection; the regulation circumvents the federal injunction issued in March against DeSantis’s executive order of December 2025; CAIR immediately announces a new legal challenge
On 11 September 2026, the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet approved, in less than two minutes, the regulation authorising the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, led by Commissioner Mark Glass, to recommend the designation of organisations as domestic or foreign terrorist groups. Three organisations are currently targeted: the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood and Antifa; more than 90 further recommendations are under review. The designation takes effect thirty days after publication in the Florida Administrative Register, with the organisations having seven days to lodge a written objection. The executive branch had already attempted this designation by decree in December 2025, but this was blocked in March 2026 by a federal judge on the grounds of a probable violation of the First Amendment; the administration has appealed this decision. The vote circumvents this block by utilising a regulation adopted under Act HB 1471, which came into force on 1 July 2026, triggering bans on public funding and criminal penalties for material support. CAIR-Florida has subsequently announced new legal proceedings before the US District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
Read in this edition → - Dallas – At the Texas Republican Party’s mid-term convention (8–11 September), Governor Greg Abbott pledged to ‘ban Sharia law in Texas’ and reiterated the state’s designation of CAIR as the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’; Ted Cruz focused his speech on the “defeat of Islamists and communists” and described a “new red-green alliance” between Democrats, communists and Islamists; USA Today presented the issue of Islam as an unexpected focal point of the event; Two days later, CAIR called on politicians to disavow Cruz after a participant referred to threats against Mayor Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed and the Texan elected representative James Talarico
The Texas Republican Party’s mid-term convention was held in Dallas from 8 to 11 September 2026. Governor Greg Abbott pledged to “fully ban Sharia law in Texas” and referred to the state’s designation of 18 November 2025 targeting CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood; Ted Cruz delivered a speech focusing on the “defeat of Islamists and communists”, describing a “new and dangerous red-green alliance” between Democrats, communists and Islamists, and asserting that “Sharia has no place in America”. USA Today, along with local media coverage (KERA, Houston Public Media, TPR), presented the issue of Islam as an unexpected focal point of the event. CAIR publicly calls on politicians to disavow Senator Cruz after a convention participant referred to threats against Mayor Mamdani, Abdul El-Sayed and the Texan elected representative James Talarico. This development continues the line of argument set out by Governor Abbott’s proclamation and SB 1900, shifting it from the administrative sphere to the campaign discourse.
Read in this edition → - San Antonio – Representative Chip Roy (R-TX), in a letter dated 26 August to Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, has called for a federal investigation into the Northside Islamic Centre of San Antonio (NICSA), citing alleged links to Muslim Brotherhood, remarks made by Imam AbdulRahman Kattab describing 7 October 2023 as a ‘day of commemoration’, and the centre’s proximity to Camp Bullis military base; NICSA responded publicly on 7 September by condemning “terrorism, extremism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia”; on 9 September, Chip Roy continued the discussion on Blaze Media, referring to an “Islamic takeover” of Texas
In a letter dated 26 August 2026 to Attorney General Todd Blanche (DOJ), Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) called for a federal investigation into the Northside Islamic Centre of San Antonio (NICSA), citing alleged links with the Muslim Brotherhood - “designated as a terrorist organisation by Texas” – remarks made by Imam AbdulRahman Kattab describing 7 October 2023 as a “day of remembrance”, and the proximity of plans for a 7.25-acre multi-purpose campus approximately 18 miles from Camp Bullis. The Northside Islamic Centre responded publicly on 7 September 2026 by condemning “terrorism, extremism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia” without addressing each of the allegations individually, and by inviting elected representatives and neighbours to consult its articles of association. On 9 September, Chip Roy continued the thread on a Blaze Media programme by referring to an “Islamic takeover” of Texas and the alleged existence of more than six hundred Islamic non-profit organisations in the state.
Read in this edition → - Detroit – On 10 September, Fox News reported on the 2026 convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), held in Detroit over the Labour Day weekend, at which the Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate, Abdul El-Sayed, received a ‘hero’s welcome’; the article reports that, during a panel discussion on ‘rising Islamophobia’, a public call was made to issue “a fatwa against the bipartisan group of lawmakers” who had voted to restrict federal aid to universities boycotting Israel, and documents the presence of controversial figures (Baqir Berry, Hassan Qazwini, Yasir Qadhi, Siraj Wahhaj); the previous article (5 September) reported that ISNA had removed the Pakistani preacher Mufti Tariq Masood following a review of his past remarks
On 10 September 2026, Fox News (Robert Schmad) reported on the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), held in Detroit over the Labour Day weekend (4–7 September). Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate, received “a thunderous round of applause” and shouts of “we love you” as he took to the stage. During a panel discussion on ‘rising Islamophobia’, a participant publicly called for ‘a fatwa to be issued against the bipartisan group of legislators’ who had voted to restrict federal aid to universities boycotting Israel, a call that was met with applause. The article also documents the presence of controversial figures: Baqir Berry praying for the “mujahideen” in Palestine and Lebanon, Hassan Qazwini calling on God to “grant victory to our Brothers in Iran”, the Texan imam Yasir Qadhi (whose Holocaust-denying remarks were later retracted) and Siraj Wahhaj (named as a possible co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, though he was never charged). On 9 September, the Middle East Forum published an analysis pointing out that ISNA had allowed a US senatorial candidate to campaign within the convention. This segment follows on from that in S37 on the fatwa issued by Qaradaghi (IUMS, Qatar) designating Mamdani and El-Sayed as ‘blessings’ on 7 October.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 11 September, Jonathan Schanzer published an article on FDD.org entitled ‘The post-9/11 Global War on Terrorism won – by keeping our homeland safe’: In this assessment of the global war on terror 25 years on, the author credits the Trump administration with having designated, via executive orders in January 2026, foreign branches of Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities (Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan) and made cooperation with Qatar and Turkey the next condition for a coherent federal policy
On 11 September 2026, to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Jonathan Schanzer published a retrospective opinion piece on FDD.org entitled ‘The post-9/11 Global War on Terrorism won – by keeping our homeland safe’. In it, he credits the Trump administration with having designated, via executive orders in January 2026, foreign branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, whilst emphasising that the Brotherhood’s ideological framework continues to radicalise a globalised youth. The article identifies cooperation with Qatar and Turkey as the next prerequisite for a coherent federal policy and aligns the federal line with state-level initiatives (Texas, Florida, Oklahoma).
Read in this edition → - Montréal – The Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) is this week publishing a statement denouncing the practical effects of Bill 9 on CEGEPs, one week after it came into force (as reported in S37); it warns against a tightening of the rules which, beyond the issue of religious symbols, would restrict access to higher education for certain Muslim female students; it is the first major federation representing the college sector to move from challenging the principle to assessing its implementation
Whilst Bill 9 on state secularism came into force on 1 September 2026 in Quebec’s colleges and universities (covered in S37), the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec (FECQ) is this week publishing a statement condemning its practical impact on CEGEPs: it warns against a tightening of the rules which, beyond the issue of religious symbols, would, in its view, restrict access to higher education for certain Muslim female students. It is the first major federation representing the further education sector to move from challenging the principle to highlighting its practical implementation. This institutional opposition comes on top of the closures of prayer rooms at Dawson and Vanier Colleges and the end of prayers on the premises of the Société de transport de Montréal, which have already been documented.
Read in this edition → - Canberra – In a speech delivered on 11 September to mark the 25th anniversary of the 11 September attacks, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess revealed that the Australian domestic intelligence service had foiled 16 planned attacks since the Bondi massacre (December 2025), bringing the total number of major plots foiled since 2014 to 33; he warned that “transnational terrorism has re-emerged as a major and malign security concern”, citing al-Qaeda, Islamic State and their affiliates “who exploit permissive spaces in the real world and online” and are once again threatening Australia’s Jewish community
On 11 September 2026, in a speech delivered to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Director-General of ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation), Mike Burgess, stated that the domestic intelligence service had foiled 16 planned attacks since the Bondi massacre (December 2025), bringing the total number of major plots foiled since 2014 to 33. He warned that “twenty-five years on, transnational terrorism has re-emerged as a major and malign security concern”, citing al-Qaeda, Islamic State and their affiliates, who “exploit permissive spaces in the real world and online” and “demonstrate a renewed capacity to carry out or inspire attacks beyond their immediate spheres of influence”. Recently foiled cases include a planned anti-Semitic attack, threats to kill Muslims and a supporter of racist violence found in possession of weapons. Burgess also warned of further Iranian-led violence in Australia, following arson attacks on buildings associated with Australian Jews.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 31 August, Marine Le Pen announced on X that, if elected in 2027, she would put to a referendum a “major law to combat Islamist ideologies”, including the “criminalisation of the Islamist veil”; the proposal, first raised that morning on BFMTV by RN MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy (Somme), was confirmed later that day by Jordan Bardella, who clarified that “this is not about setting up a ‘dress code police’”; AFP noted on 5 September that Article 11 of the Constitution does not include religious symbols within the scope of a presidential referendum, and that Marine Le Pen’s inner circle has admitted to wanting to ‘circumvent’ the Constitutional Council by means of a referendum
On 31 August 2026, Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National group in the National Assembly, announced on her X account that, should she become President in 2027, she would put to a referendum a “major bill to combat Islamist ideologies” accompanied by “criminal penalties” and explicitly including the “criminalisation of the Islamist headscarf”. The proposal was first raised that very morning on BFMTV by RN MP Jean-Philippe Tanguy (Somme), who compared the proposed fines to those for not wearing a seatbelt. Jordan Bardella, leader of the RN, confirmed this later that day, stating that “this is not about setting up a dress code police force”. On 5 September 2026, France 24 (AFP) noted that a constitutional amendment via a presidential referendum on this subject would come up against Article 11 of the Constitution, which limits the scope to the organisation of public authorities, economic, social or environmental reforms, and the ratification of treaties; religious symbols do not fall within this scope. Marine Le Pen’s entourage openly admits to wanting to “circumvent” the Constitutional Council by means of a referendum. Meanwhile, Édouard Philippe (Horizons) points out that “existing laws” should be applied.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 1 September, CNEWS, Europe 1 and Le JDD published a CSA poll on the ban on the veil in public spaces: 60 per cent of French people surveyed are in favour of it, whilst 53 per cent support a fine as a penalty, down from November 2025 (when nearly seven out of ten were in favour); a majority in all age groups are in favour, except for 18–24-year-olds (39 per cent); on the left, only 30 per cent approve, with 74 per cent of LFI voters opposed, 78 per cent among the Greens, 58 per cent among the Socialists and 61 per cent among Renaissance supporters
On 1 September 2026, CNEWS, Europe 1 and Le JDD published a CSA poll on the ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf in public spaces. 60 per cent of French people surveyed support the ban, and 53 per cent approve of a fine as a penalty. These figures are down on those from a poll in November 2025 (nearly seven in ten). A majority in all age groups are in favour, except for 18–24-year-olds (39 per cent in favour). 62 per cent of women are in favour, compared with 58 per cent of men. On the left, only 30 per cent support the measure; 74 per cent of La France insoumise voters, 78 per cent of Green Party voters, 58 per cent of Socialist Party voters and 61 per cent of Renaissance voters oppose it. The poll was published the day after Marine Le Pen (RN) announced a proposal for a referendum in 2027 on ‘criminalising the Islamist veil’.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 1 September, *Le Figaro* published a piece by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler in *FigaroVox* entitled ‘Could the RN’s referendum on banning the wearing of the veil play into the hands of Islamists? ’: the chair of CERIF considers a blanket ban, enforceable by fines, to be difficult to implement and politically risky, and favours instead a ban on the veil for minors
On 1 September 2026, Le Figaro published an article in FigaroVox by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, an anthropologist and president of CERIF, in response to Marine Le Pen’s announcement on 31 August of a referendum on banning the veil in public spaces. She believes that a blanket ban accompanied by a fine would be difficult to translate into enforceable regulations and politically risky, to the extent that it could benefit the Islamists she intends to combat by allowing them to portray themselves as victims. She advocates a targeted measure: a ban on the wearing of the veil by minors, which she describes as a matter of urgency. This contribution follows on from her comments made earlier that week on Europe 1 and, in this edition, rounds off the segment that began with the National Rally’s announcement and the CSA poll of 1 September.
Read in this edition → - Vienna - On 5 September, the Austrian Minister for Integration, Claudia Bauer (ÖVP), announced to the APA that she was preparing a bill aimed at banning the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as Hezbollah and Hizb ut-Tahrir, under four legal frameworks simultaneously – the law on associations, religious law, residence law and the right of assembly; she described the Brotherhood as a ‘terrorist organisation whose main aim is to to gradually Islamise our European states’, and did not rule out the possibility that the legislation might affect the internal structure of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ), from which she demanded a ‘clear stance’ on the limits
On 5 September 2026, the Austrian Press Agency (APA), as reported by news.at and the entire daily press, stated that the Minister for Integration, Claudia Bauer (ÖVP), was preparing a bill aimed at banning the Muslim Brotherhood (Muslimbruderschaft), Hezbollah and Hizb ut-Tahrir. The bill is set to address four areas of law simultaneously: the law on associations, religious law, residence law and the law on assembly – a measure unprecedented in a European Union country. Bauer describes the Muslim Brotherhood as a “terrorist organisation whose main aim is to gradually Islamise our European states” and denounces a “stealthy infiltration” of institutions by political Islam. She states that she does not rule out the possibility that the future legislation may affect the internal structure of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ), the country’s official Muslim religious community, from which she is calling for a “clear stance” on the boundaries between religious practice and political Islam. The announcement forms part of the ongoing work carried out since 2020 by the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam and extends, at European level, the series of designations that began in the US (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon – January 2026; Mahmoud al-Abyari – July 2026; state proclamations: Texas November 2025, Florida July 2026, Oklahoma August 2026).
Read in this edition → - London – On 2 September, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Robert Williams (“Nothing Spontaneous About Anti-Israel Protests”) based on a report by NGO Monitor identifying six British organisations as the organisers of 32 of the 40 pro-Hamas demonstrations mapped across the United Kingdom - Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Muslim Association of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, CND; four of which, according to the report, have documented links to Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood, with Ismail Patel (Friends of Al-Aqsa) described as having “a long-standing overlap” with figures linked to Brothers; the report describes “concentric circles” of funding involving Iran, China, Russia and Qatar
On 2 September 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Robert Williams entitled ‘Nothing Spontaneous About Anti-Israel Protests’. The article draws on a report published by NGO Monitor identifying six British organisations as the organisers of 32 of the 40 pro-Hamas demonstrations mapped across the UK since October 2023: Stop the War Coalition, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). Four of these – Friends of Al-Aqsa, MAB, PFB, PSC – have, according to the report, documented links to Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood. Ismail Patel, founder of Friends of Al-Aqsa, is described as having ‘a long-standing overlap’ with figures linked to Brothers. The report identifies what it calls “concentric circles” of funding and ideological support linking Iran, China, Russia and Qatar. On the civil society front, the article continues the ongoing transatlantic narrative – the OFAC designation of Mahmoud al-Abyari (23 July 2026), Simcox’s op-ed in The Spectator (22 August 2026)-which highlights the discrepancy between the US approach to the Brotherhood and British inaction on the same issue.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 31 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Khaled Abu Toameh (“Egypt’s Dangerous Palestinian ‘Unity’ Project to Legitimise Terrorists”) focusing on the Fatah-Hamas dialogue organised by Cairo ahead of the Palestinian elections in November 2026 under the banner of ‘national unity’; the author highlights the internal contradiction in Egypt’s approach – in January 2026, Cairo designated its own branch of Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation whilst seeking to politically rehabilitate Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the same Brotherhood – and calls on the Trump administration to make it clear that one cannot simultaneously demand the disarmament of Hamas and its integration as a legitimate negotiating partner
On 31 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Khaled Abu Toameh entitled ‘Egypt’s Dangerous Palestinian “Unity” Project to Legitimise Terrorists’. The article focuses on the Fatah-Hamas dialogue organised by the Egyptian authorities in the run-up to the Palestinian elections in November 2026, under the banner of ‘national unity’. Abu Toameh highlights the inherent contradiction in this approach: in January 2026, Cairo designated its own branch of Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, whilst seeking to politically rehabilitate Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Brotherhood. The author calls on the Trump administration to make it clear that one cannot simultaneously demand the disarmament of Hamas and accept it as a legitimate negotiating partner. The opinion piece builds on his own analysis of 27 August (“America’s New Scam?: Hamas Elections by Another Name is Still Hamas”) and opens this week’s Abu Toameh series.
Read in this edition → - Dallas – Fox News reported on 2 September that Southern Methodist University (SMU) had cancelled the symposium ‘Unapologetically Muslim: Youth Leadership Conference’, which CAIR-Texas was due to hold on its campus on 19 September, citing Governor Greg Abbott’s proclamation of 18 November 2025 designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as ‘foreign terrorist organisations and transnational criminal organisations’ under Texas SB 1900 (2023); the designation remains a state-level measure – there is no federal equivalent – but it has now produced its first documented non-judicial effect: a private institution has declined to host a CAIR-organised event for fear of civil sanctions provided for by the law
On 2 September 2026 at 12.29 pm EDT, Fox News reported that Southern Methodist University (SMU, Dallas) had cancelled the ‘Unapologetically Muslim: Youth Leadership Conference’ that the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) was due to hold on its campus on 19 September 2026. The university cited the proclamation signed on 18 November 2025 by Governor Greg Abbott designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as ‘foreign terrorist organisations and transnational criminal organisations’ under the Texas Act SB 1900 of 2023. The designation is strictly state-level and has no federal equivalent. This is the first documented non-judicial consequence of the proclamation: a private institution refusing to host a CAIR-organised event for fear of civil proceedings brought under the law. CAIR-Texas states that it “has not and will not be intimidated by smear campaigns launched by ‘Israel First’ politicians such as Mr Abbott” and is continuing its federal legal challenge against the proclamation. Reason (Ryan Curtis, 4 September 2026) documents the legal consequences (seizures, criminal records, harsher sentences) triggered by the SB 1900 regime when applied to a civic organisation, and points out that the law was originally designed to target transnational cartels.
Read in this edition → - Gaza – On 3 September, the FDD’s Long War Journal published a weekly update by Samuel Ben-Ur (“IDF captures Hamas security chief, reports 29 Gaza ceasefire violations on 19 August – 3 Sept.”), stating that on 1 September, Israeli special forces captured Moein Muhammad al-Arabeed in Gaza City, in the Katiba area; he is described as the head of Hamas’s internal security apparatus for the entire Strip; the article lists 29 ceasefire violations between 19 August and 3 September and documents the deadlock surrounding the ‘Board of Peace’ 15-point plan – disarmament, transfer of authority to the NCAG, and a phased Israeli withdrawal – which Israel rejects on the grounds that there has been no effective disarmament
On 3 September 2026, the FDD’s Long War Journal published a weekly update by Samuel Ben-Ur entitled ‘IDF captures Hamas security chief, reports 29 Gaza ceasefire violations 19 August – 3 September’. The article reports that on 1 September, Israeli special forces captured Moein Muhammad al-Arabeed in Gaza City, in the Katiba area; he is described as the head of Hamas’s internal security apparatus for the entire Gaza Strip. The article lists 29 ceasefire violations between 19 August and 3 September 2026. It also documents the stalling of the ‘Board of Peace’ 15-point plan – disarmament, transfer of authority to the National Civil Administration for Gaza (NCAG), and a phased Israeli withdrawal – which Israel refuses to implement in the absence of Hamas’s effective disarmament. This piece forms part of a series of opinion pieces by Abu Toameh in Gatestone (31 August, 3 September) on the political re-institutionalisation of Hamas and its refusal to disarm.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 3 September, the Gatestone Institute published a second opinion piece by Khaled Abu Toameh (“Hamas Has No Intention of Disarming – So Why Is the US Still Negotiating?’), documenting public statements by Osama Hamdan and Khaled Qaddoumi to the effect that ‘not a single bullet will leave Gaza’ and that the weapons will remain ‘in Palestinian hands’; the author condemns the shift in the negotiations arising from the Trump 20-point peace plan, from the required demilitarisation to the ‘storage’ and ‘containment’ of weapons, which allows Hamas to retain its military leverage and political status
On 3 September 2026, the Gatestone Institute published a second opinion piece by Khaled Abu Toameh that week, entitled ‘Hamas Has No Intention of Disarming – So Why Is the US Still Negotiating?’. The article lists public statements by Hamas leaders Osama Hamdan and Khaled Qaddoumi, in which they claim that “not a single bullet will leave Gaza” and that the weapons will remain “in Palestinian hands”. Abu Toameh condemns the shift evident in the negotiations arising from Trump’s 20-point peace plan: the initial demand for demilitarisation has been replaced by concepts of ‘storage’ and ‘containment’ of weapons, which allow Hamas to retain its military leverage and political status. This opinion piece complements the one published on 31 August on the Fatah-Hamas unity brokered by Cairo, and ties in with the Long War Journal article from the same day on the capture of Al-Arabeed and the 29 ceasefire violations.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 5 September, MEMRI TV posted online a recording of Ali al-Qaradaghi, Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS, based in Qatar and identified as an intellectual organisation linked to the Muslim Brotherhood): speaking at a conference in Turkey in August, Qaradaghi claimed that “without the Al-Aqsa flood [7 October 2023], and without the Zionists having been dealt a blow, what is happening in Europe and America would not be taking place, Mamdani would not have become governor of New York State and Abdulrahman El-Sayed would not have run a $73 million campaign”, and described these events as “blessings of the Al-Aqsa deluge”; the statement explicitly establishes, on the part of brotherist itself, the chain of association: Muslim Brotherhood – Hamas – 7 October – American progressive Muslim politicians
On 5 September 2026, MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) published an online recording, translated, of Ali al-Qaradaghi, Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), an organisation based in Qatar and identified in several academic and parliamentary papers (including Klepach’s testimony before the Cruz Committee on 5 August 2026) as an intellectual network linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. During a symposium held in Turkey in August 2026, Qaradaghi stated: ‘If not for the Al-Aqsa Flood, and if the Zionists had not been put to shame, what is happening in Europe and America would not be happening, Mamdani would not have become governor of New York State [sic], and Abdulrahman El-Sayed would not have defeated a campaign worth $73 million’, concluding: “These are the blessings of the Al-Aqsa Flood”. The statement explicitly attributes Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York and Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the Michigan Democratic primary to 7 October 2023. It was reported on the same day by the New York Post, Townhall (Scott McClallen) and the entire American conservative press. It articulates, from brotherist’s own perspective, the chain of association between the Brotherhood – Hamas – 7 October – American Muslim-progressives, a link previously articulated only by brotherism’s opponents.
Read in this edition → - Montreal – On 1 September, the provisions of the Act to Strengthen Secularism in Quebec (‘Bill 9’, passed in the spring) came into force, prohibiting religious practices in colleges, universities and premises under municipal authority; the prayer rooms at Dawson College and Vanier College in Montreal have been closed, the Société de transport de Montréal has put a stop to prayers on its premises, and the CEGEPs concerned must remove religious objects made available to users – a rare occurrence in the North American context of a state that addresses requests for Islamic accommodation through legislation rather than the courts
1 September 2026 marks the entry into force of the provisions of the Act to Strengthen Secularism in Quebec (known as ‘Bill 9’, passed in spring 2026) prohibiting religious practices – prayer, sermons, preaching and ceremonies – in colleges, universities and premises under municipal authority. The prayer rooms at Dawson College and Vanier College in Montreal have been closed; the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has put a stop to prayers on its premises. The CEGEPs concerned must remove any religious objects made available to users. The wearing of religious symbols remains permitted, and the cultural and spiritual practices of First Nations and Inuit peoples are exempt from certain provisions. The legislation extends the government inquiry conducted in 2025 into Dawson and Vanier Colleges (a report submitted in June 2025 recommending a ‘crackdown’ on prayer rooms and ‘student clans’). On 1 September, Pascale Déry, Minister for Higher Education, publicly described the move as “the end of prayer rooms in our higher education institutions”. This move is unusual in the North American context: a state is addressing requests for Islamic facilities through legislation rather than the courts.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 27 August, *La Nouvelle Revue Politique* published an interview by Arnaud Benedetti with Florence Bergeaud-Blackler entitled “brotherism does not want a niche market; it wants to impose its standard”; the anthropologist, president of CERIF, situates ‘halal romance’ – a genre of fiction featuring Islamic themes spotted at the Paris Book Fair – within her framework for analysing ‘jihad through the market’: ‘halalisation’ operates in two stages: first, identifying something that is forbidden, then proposing a permitted alternative, the aim being to extend Islamic norms to all areas of life, including culture and leisure
On 27 August 2026, La Nouvelle Revue Politique published an interview by Arnaud Benedetti with Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, an anthropologist, research fellow at the CNRS and president of CERIF, under the title ‘brotherism does not want a niche market; it wants to impose its own standards’. The interview followed the identification of a genre of fiction featuring Islamic themes – the ‘halal romance’ – spotted at the Paris Book Fair (the book *Nous malgré tout* by LK Imany, published by Scrineo; the Mawadab publishing house, founded in 2025 in the Lille region). Bergeaud-Blackler situates the phenomenon within the analytical framework she developed in *Le Djihad par le Marché ’ (Odile Jacob, 2025): ‘halalisation’ operates in two stages – first identifying something forbidden, then offering a permitted alternative – and aims to extend Islamic norms to all areas of life, including culture, literature, cosmetics, tourism and finance. The interview emphasises that the strategy is not commercial but normative: “brotherism does not want a niche market; it wants to impose its standard”. This follows on from her appearance on 24 August on Europe 1’s morning programme (hosted by Alexandre Le Mer), where she described ‘halal romance’ as a ‘proselytising project’ that rejects classical French literature. The article was subsequently republished on 28 August on her Substack.
Read in this edition → - Germany – On 24 August, AK Polis published a detailed analysis of the OFAC designation (Executive Order 13224) of 23 July 2026 targeting Mahmoud al-Abyari, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Muslim Brotherhood and editor-in-chief of *Risalat al-Ikhwan*, a dual Egyptian-Austrian national born in Vienna in 1952 and residing in London; the dossier traces the target’s European networks – the Viennese milieu of the 1980s (Islamische Vereinigung in Österreich), the German network centred on Ibrahim El-Zayat (former president of the IGD, former director of Europe Trust) – and six entities subject to joint sanctions (Indonesia, Gaza, Turkey) accused of channelling funds to the military wing of Hamas
On 24 August 2026, AK Polis published a detailed analysis entitled ‘US sanctions against the Muslim Brotherhood: Washington adds Austrian dual national Mahmoud al-Abyari to the terrorist list’. The article discusses the designation made on 23 July by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, against Mahmoud al-Abyari, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Muslim Brotherhood and editor-in-chief of Risalat al-Ikhwan, an Egyptian-Austrian dual national born on 5 June 1952 and residing in the United Kingdom. Al-Abyari is targeted for having supported, via fundraising organisations presented as charitable, the financing of Hamas’s military wing. Six entities and individuals are subject to joint sanctions: Tujah Bulah Global / Seven Spikes Global (Indonesia), Madad Palestine Charitable Society (Gaza), El-Kahira for General Trading (Turkey), Khuldun Khamis Zakaria Alden, Zaid Issam Ahmed Al-Jebouri and Abdullah Issam Ahmad Al-Jebouri. The analysis traces the historically documented European networks centred on al-Abyari: involvement in the Viennese scene of the 1980s (Islamische Vereinigung in Österreich), links to the German network centred on Ibrahim El-Zayat, former president of the Islamische Gemeinschaft in Deutschland (IGD, 2002–2010) and former director of the Europe Trust (2005–2014). AK Polis emphasises that the US measure, by targeting a leader residing in London and holding a European passport, “reflects growing pressure from Washington on European governments to take action against the Brotherhood’s structures”. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is quoted as saying: “The Trump administration will relentlessly pursue terrorists and those who finance them.”
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – Robin Simcox, the UK’s former Commissioner for Countering Extremism (2021–2025), published an opinion piece in *The Spectator* on 22 August entitled ‘Why won’t the UK curtail the Muslim Brotherhood? ’; following the OFAC’s designation of Mahmoud al-Abyari – a brotherist leader residing in London – he documents that the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have designated or banned the Brotherhood, whilst the UK treats it as a ‘political headache’; he notes that the 2014 report and subsequent strategies have had no effect and that the Charity Commission lacks the necessary investigative powers, with Interpal having remained subject to sanctions in the United States for twenty-three years whilst operating legally in the United Kingdom
On 22 August 2026, *The Spectator* published an opinion piece by Robin Simcox, the UK’s Commissioner for Countering Extremism from 2021 to 2025, entitled ‘Why won’t the UK curtail the Muslim Brotherhood?’. The author takes as his starting point the designation by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 23 July 2026 of Mahmoud al-Abyari, described by the US Treasury as “a senior leader of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood” with “a long history of senior leadership roles ’, including within the Brotherhood’s General Secretariat, and who resides in London. Simcox notes that Washington’s new stance has caused ‘panic’ in Whitehall, given that the UK has, in reality, no counter-narrative to offer regarding its own handling of the matter. He points out that the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have designated or banned the Brotherhood, whilst London treats it as a “political headache”. The text documents the successive failure of the 2014 Jenkins report and subsequent strategies – the issue having been pushed ‘onto the too-difficult pile’ at every reshuffle – and emphasises that the Charity Commission lacks the necessary investigative powers: Interpal has remained on the US terrorist list for twenty-three years whilst operating legally in the United Kingdom. Finally, it cites the US counter-terrorism strategy of May 2026, in which the author, Sebastian Gorka, describes the Brotherhood as ‘the granddaddy of them all’ among jihadist groups.
Read in this edition → - Washington - On 20 August, the Treasury Department issued press release SB0611, entitled ‘Treasury Increases Sanctions on Hizballah and Targets Network Smuggling Millions in Cash for Hizballah’, which, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, re-designates Hizballah as an ‘Iranian proxy’ controlled by the Al-Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC-QF), and imposing sanctions on ten individuals involved in a cash smuggling network operating between Lebanon, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, led by the Turkish businessman Yunus Alper Yilmaz; the move legally reopens the issue of the Lebanese state’s responsibility for Hezbollah’s operations
On 20 August 2026, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Department of the Treasury issued press release SB0611, entitled ‘Treasury Increases Sanctions on Hizballah and Targets Network Smuggling Millions in Cash for Hizballah’. The decision, taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224 as amended, comprises two parts. First aspect: the previous designation of Hizballah is amended to explicitly state that the organisation is “owned, controlled, or directed by, or” acting on behalf of the Al-Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC-QF). A State Department official emphasises that this redesignation “specifies that Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy, not an autonomous organisation as the previous designation implied”, which legally reopens the issue of the Lebanese state’s responsibility for its operations. Second strand: ten individuals have been sanctioned as members of a cash smuggling network exploiting couriers travelling on commercial flights between Lebanon, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, a network led by the Turkish businessman Yunus Alper Yilmaz and involving Halil Ibrahim Kacmaz, Onder Dede, Vasfi Akyuz, Mehmet Akyuz, Mehmet Acur, Feyyad Karasalih, Masoud Mousafar, Gulay Kaya Savci and Emrah Ayaz. According to the Treasury, this network moves “up to hundreds of millions of dollars” via cash smuggling on behalf of Hezbollah, outside the formal financial system. This move extends the US policy on Islamist proxies already applied against the Jordanian, Lebanese and Egyptian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood (January 2026) and against Mahmoud al-Abyari (23 July 2026).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 27 August, Khaled Abu Toameh published an opinion piece in the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘America’s New Scam?: Hamas Elections by Another Name is Still Hamas’, criticising the scheme put forward by the US administration that would allow figures affiliated with Hamas to stand in the Palestinian elections under a new political framework; the author argues that a change of name does not erase the organisation’s ideology, which stems from the brotherist matrix, and that the move risks retroactively legitimising the political integration of organisations designated as terrorist groups by the United States and the European Union
On 27 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Khaled Abu Toameh entitled ‘America’s New Scam? : Hamas Elections by Another Name is Still Hamas’. The author directly criticises a political and diplomatic manoeuvre put forward by the US administration that would allow figures affiliated with Hamas – an organisation born out of the brotherist and designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States (January 1995), the European Union (2001) and the United Kingdom (November 2021) – to stand in the forthcoming Palestinian elections under a newly rebranded political framework. Abu Toameh argues that the change of label does not erase the organisation’s ideology and that the move risks retroactively validating the political integration of organisations designated as terrorist by Western capitals. The opinion piece forms part of a series published by the same editorial team on the political reconstitution of Palestinian movements emerging from brotherism (Abu Toameh, 24 August 2026, ‘Repurposed Jihadists: Palestinian Terrorist Organisations Reborn as Political Parties’) and the wider US debate on Iranian proxies and the treatment of Hezbollah (see SB0611 of 20 August).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 28 August, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Con Coughlin (“Syria: Turkey’s New Battleground Against Israel”) documenting Turkey’s ongoing support for Hamas and Erdoğan’s geostrategic ambitions in Syria; the author links the Turkish presidency’s anti-Israeli statements to a broader regional project involving Ankara, Doha and the military wing of Hamas, and connects this interpretation to the Mecca defence agreement of 7 August 2026 (Saudi Arabia – Turkey – Pakistan), which has already been discussed by the editorial team (Abu Toameh, 17 August 2026)
On 28 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Con Coughlin, defence correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, entitled ‘Syria: Turkey’s New Battleground Against Israel’. Coughlin documents Turkey’s ongoing support for Hamas and President Erdoğan’s geostrategic ambitions in Syria, where Ankara is operating militarily and politically against the backdrop of the restructuring of the Syrian state following the fall of the Assad regime and the establishment of the regime led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. The author links the Turkish presidency’s recent anti-Israeli statements to a broader regional project involving Ankara, Doha and the military wing of Hamas, and links his analysis to the collective defence agreement signed in Mecca on 7 August 2026 between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan – previously commented on by this editorial team (Khaled Abu Toameh, ‘The Mecca Agreement: A Threat to Regional Security?’, 17 August 2026). The article forms part of Gatestone’s recurring series on the links between Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood (Coughlin, 2 August; Abu Toameh, 17 August; Canlorbe / del Valle, 12 August; Rehov, 30 August).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 30 August, the Gatestone Institute published two closely related opinion pieces in quick succession: Pierre Rehov (“Why Is the Trump Administration Determined to Arm Hostile Jihadist States That Will Outlast It?”) criticises US arms deals with Turkey and Saudi Arabia, highlighting Iran’s long-standing funding of Hamas via Istanbul; Majid Rafizadeh (“Iran’s Regime: ‘The Only Solution Is to Build a Nuclear Bomb and Fire It’”) analyses the nuclear rhetoric of figures within the Iranian regime and calls for an intensification of the maximum pressure already outlined in communiqué SB0611 of 20 August regarding Hezbollah
On 30 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published two closely related opinion pieces in quick succession. Pierre Rehov, in ‘Why Is the Trump Administration Determined to Arm Hostile Jihadist States That Will Outlast It? ’, directly criticised the US arms deals with Turkey and Saudi Arabia, highlighting that these states share a common anti-Israeli stance and that Iran’s long-standing funding of Hamas has been channelled via Istanbul for years. Majid Rafizadeh, in ‘Iran’s Regime: “The Only Solution Is to Build a Nuclear Bomb and Fire It”’, analyses the nuclear rhetoric of figures within the Iranian regime and calls for maximum pressure on Tehran to be stepped up, following on from OFAC’s SB0611 notice of 20 August, in which it redesignated Hezbollah as an IRGC-QF proxy and sanctioned ten members of the Yilmaz cash smuggling network. Both articles are in line with Gatestone’s editorial stance of documenting the convergence between the brotherist Sunni ecosystem (Turkey – Qatar – Hamas) and the Iranian Shia apparatus (Hezbollah – Houthis – militias in Iraq and Syria), a line of reporting developed since the start of the summer (Rafizadeh, 8 and 22 August; Abu Toameh, 17 and 24 August; Coughlin, 28 August; Millière, 23 August).
Read in this edition → - Germany – Two rulings by the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, StB 37/25 of 21 August 2025 and StB 42/25 of 3 September 2025), brought to light in late August 2026 by the Middle East Forum, confirm the existence of a permanent ‘Legalresidentur’ run by the Turkish intelligence service (MIT) at the Turkish Consulate-General in Hürth, near Cologne; an administrative staff member at the consulate and a police officer from Cologne are being prosecuted for passing on, between March 2024 and February 2025, confidential information from police files concerning individuals under surveillance, including Kurdish activists and opponents of the Turkish government
In two rulings handed down in the Federal Public Prosecutor’s investigation into acting as an agent for a foreign intelligence service (§ 99 StGB), the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, StB 37/25 of 21 August 2025 and StB 42/25 of 3 September 2025) found that an ‘Legalresidentur’ of the MIT, staffed by permanent intelligence officers, is based at the Turkish Consulate-General in Hürth (North Rhine-Westphalia). An administrative employee at the consulate, who had been living in Germany since 1995, provided logistical and administrative support to MIT agents, carried out research and drafted reports forwarded to the Turkish security authorities; since 2021, she had been in regular contact, via telephone and encrypted messaging apps, with a police officer in Cologne who is alleged to have passed on to her, between March 2024 and February 2025, confidential information from police information systems, relating in particular to Kurdish PKK activists and opponents of the Turkish government. The documents cited include G10 interception records, a report by the North Rhine-Westphalia Verfassungsschutz dated 28 March 2025, and the seizures carried out on 9 July 2025 pursuant to warrants dated 2 July; the Court rejected the claim of consular immunity invoked under Article 43 of the Vienna Convention. These decisions, which have been in the public domain since September 2025, were analysed on 26 August 2026 by the Middle East Forum. The case sheds light on the intertwining of the Turkish consular apparatus in Germany with the politico-religious networks highlighted in previous reports on DITIB and Milli Görüş.
Read in this edition → - Germany – On 20 August, AK Polis published a review of Sebastian Schnelle’s book *Gemeinsam gegen die moderne Welt: Islamism as a reactionary rejection of democracy and equality’, which traces the ideological continuities of the Muslim Brotherhood from its foundation by Hasan al-Bannā in 1928 to its current European structures, centred on three constants: the union of religion and politics, the rejection of ‘Western decadence’ and patriarchal restrictions on women’s roles; the author draws a parallel with narratives of decadence found in European right-wing extremism
On 20 August 2026, AK Polis published a detailed review of Sebastian Schnelle’s essay ‘Gemeinsam gegen die moderne Welt: Der Islamismus als reaktionäre Absage an Demokratie und Gleichberechtigung’ (‘Together against the modern world: Islamism as a reactionary rejection of democracy and equality’). The book traces the ideological continuities of the Muslim Brotherhood from its foundation by Hasan al-Bannā in 1928 to its current structures in Europe, identifying three constants: the fusion of religion and politics, the rejection of ‘Western decadence’ and patriarchal restrictions on women’s roles. Schnelle draws a parallel with the narratives of decadence found in European right-wing extremism, arguing that both bodies of thought are based on the same claim to ‘eternal truths’ that are incompatible with democratic pluralism. The book examines the personal and ideological continuities linking the historical Egyptian model to contemporary European groups associated with the brotherist movement, and concludes that the brotherist political project remains fundamentally incompatible with open, liberal societies.
Read in this edition → - Germany - On 19 August, AK Polis published an article by Matthias Basedau (GIGA) proposing a three-dimensional operationalisation of the concept of religion – ritual practices, doctrinal beliefs and institutional affiliation – in order to analyse the mechanisms through which each influences peace or violence; the article contributes to the German debate on the comparative analysis of religious movements, following on from the controversy that arose after the Islamist attack on the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin (25 July 2026)
On 19 August 2026, AK Polis published an article by Matthias Basedau, a researcher at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg and a specialist in the relationship between religion, conflict and peace. Basedau proposes a three-dimensional operationalisation of the concept of religion – ritual practices, doctrinal beliefs and institutional affiliation – in order to analyse ‘the mechanisms through which each of these dimensions influences peace or violence’. The article forms part of the controversy that erupted in Germany following the Islamist attack on 25 July 2026 against the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin, where several sociologists had portrayed Muslim organisations as actors in the prevention of Islamist radicalisation, a view contested by Murat Kayman (AK Polis, 7 August 2026). It contributes to the German debate on the comparative analysis of religious movements, in which the Muslim Brotherhood and its European affiliates are key players.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs, launched on 13 April 2026 by the Home Secretary and allocated £65 million over three years, published its newsletter in August and announced the launch of a National Listening Project, the opening of applications for Core Participants ahead of the National Accountability Hearing (scheduled for late 2026 – early 2027), and new support measures for victims and survivors; the inquiry will explicitly examine the role of ethnicity, religion and culture in these crimes
In August 2026, the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs published its monthly newsletter and announced three developments. It launched a National Listening Project open to victims, survivors and witnesses; opened applications for Core Participant status ahead of the National Accountability Hearing scheduled for late 2026 – early 2027; and introduced new mechanisms for gathering testimonies from victims and survivors. The inquiry, formally launched on 13 April 2026 by the Home Secretary, has a budget of £65 million over three years and covers the whole of England and Wales. The terms of reference adopted by the Home Secretary state that the inquiry “will explicitly examine the role of ethnicity, religion and culture” in these crimes, as well as institutional and statutory failings. This official initiative follows on from the work published in 2026 (Mark Durie’s report on the links between Islam and organised sexual exploitation), on which CERIF produced a reading note.
Read in this edition → - Oklahoma – On 18 August, Oklahoma Voice published an analysis by academics specialising in relations between the state and Muslim communities, describing Executive Order 2026-29 – signed by Governor Kevin Stitt on 12 August – as ‘political theatre’ designed to stir up anti-Muslim sentiment in an election year; the executive director of CAIR Oklahoma, Veronica Laizure-Henry, declined to be interviewed due to ongoing legal proceedings and referred to the federal complaint filed on 3 August 2026 by the Islamic Society of Tulsa and CAIR against the city of Broken Arrow, under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalised Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), following the town council’s refusal to rezone a plot of land for a proposed mosque, community centre and food bank – a dispute also being investigated by the Department of Justice, which launched an inquiry on 17 July 2026 under the same RLUIPA
On 18 August 2026, Oklahoma Voice published an analysis entitled ‘Investigation ordered by Oklahoma governor will demonise Muslim people, expert says’, setting out the views of academics specialising in state- and Muslim communities, who describe Executive Order 2026-29 – signed on 12 August by the Republican governor Kevin Stitt – as “political theatre” designed to stir up anti-Muslim sentiment in an election year. When interviewed by the publication, the executive director of CAIR Oklahoma, Veronica Laizure-Henry, declined to be interviewed due to ongoing legal proceedings and provided a written response referring to the federal complaint filed on 3 August 2026 by the Islamic Society of Tulsa and CAIR before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma against the city of Broken Arrow. The 63-page complaint invokes the Religious Land Use and Institutionalised Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) following the Broken Arrow City Council’s refusal, in January 2026, to rezone a plot of land for a project comprising a mosque, a community centre, a food bank and commercial premises. The dispute is also being examined as part of an investigation by the US Department of Justice, launched on 17 July 2026 under the same RLUIPA. CAIR Oklahoma’s written response notes that the organisation successfully challenged the ‘anti-Sharia’ amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution in court in 2010 and argues that “CAIR’s grassroots work is precisely why Governor Stitt is targeting the organisation with debunked conspiracy theories”. This development is directly linked to the federal and state-level offensive documented in week 34 (Ted Cruz hearing on 5 August, Stitt’s executive order on 12 August, coverage of El-Sayed and CAIR from 10–13 August).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 17 August, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Khaled Abu Toameh (“The Mecca Agreement: A Threat to Regional Security?”) on the collective defence agreement signed in Mecca on 7 August 2026 by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan; Abu Toameh highlights Turkey’s historical ties with Hamas – which emerged from the brotherist – presented by Ankara as a practical ally – and Qatar’s closeness to the Syrian regime of Ahmed al-Sharaa, within a grouping described as a Sunni Islamist bloc of concern to Western and Israeli interests
On 17 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Khaled Abu Toameh entitled ‘The Mecca Agreement: A Threat to Regional Security?’. The author analyses the collective defence agreement signed in Mecca on 7 August 2026 by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, under the terms of which any armed attack against one of the three states will be regarded as an attack against all of them. Abu Toameh highlights that the three signatories share a common anti-Israeli stance and that Turkey maintains close ties with Hamas – which emerged from the brotherist movement – which it regards as a practical ally in the region. He also highlights Qatar’s close ties with the Syrian regime of Ahmed al-Sharaa, described as a “major ally” of Doha, and fears that this rapprochement, fuelled by the perceived withdrawal of American influence, might consolidate a Sunni Islamist bloc hostile to Western and Israeli interests and pave the way for a more aggressive regional stance. The analysis is in line with Gatestone’s recent editorial stance (Coughlin, 2 August; Rafizadeh, 8 August; Canlorbe / del Valle, 12 August) on the links between Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 22 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Majid Rafizadeh (“Iran: What Next?’) on 22 August, arguing that economic sanctions have not been sufficient to contain the Islamic Republic and calling for a combination of targeted military pressure, documented support for Iranian dissidents and the dismantling of Iran’s regional network of proxies (Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria), which the author describes as a matrix for the projection of Shia ideology, parallel to that of the Muslim Brotherhood Sunnis
On 22 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Majid Rafizadeh entitled ‘Iran: What Next?’. The author argues that the economic sanctions imposed by the United States since 2018 have not been sufficient to contain the Islamic Republic and that Tehran has taken advantage of periods of Western disengagement to rebuild its military capabilities and its regional network. Rafizadeh calls for a combination of targeted military pressure, documented support for Iranian dissidents and the dismantling of Iran’s regional network of proxies: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria. He describes this ecosystem as a matrix for the projection of Shia ideology, parallel to that of the Muslim Brotherhood Sunnis – a recurring theme in Gatestone’s editorial line (Rafizadeh, 8 August 2026; Abu Toameh, 17 August 2026). The opinion piece forms part of the US debate on the link between maximum pressure on Iran and the designation of the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian branches of the Brotherhood, adopted by President Trump in November 2025 and subsequently expanded in January 2026.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 23 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Guy Millière (“Europe in Free Fall”) linking the migration crisis, the growth of Europe’s Muslim population and the erosion of national political frameworks; the author links his analysis to the fragility of European democracies in the face of political Islam and anti-Semitism, following on from opinion pieces by Robert Williams (16 August) and Majid Rafizadeh (8 and 22 August) published by the same editorial team
On 23 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Guy Millière entitled ‘Europe in Free Fall’. The author argues that several European countries are experiencing a phase of ‘accelerated decline’, linking successive migration crises, the demographic growth of Muslim populations according to the projections he cites, and the gradual erosion of national political frameworks. Millière links his analysis to the fragility of European democracies in the face of political Islam and anti-Semitism, building on opinion pieces by Robert Williams (“European Leaders: In Urgent Need of Deradicalisation’, 16 August 2026) and Majid Rafizadeh (8 and 22 August 2026), published by the same editorial team, on the links between Turkey, Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood, and on Iranian strategy. The text adopts a pessimistic tone characteristic of Gatestone’s summer editorial line on Europe.
Read in this edition → - Seine-Saint-Denis – On 7 August, the Montreuil Administrative Court dismissed the application for interim relief brought by the Aulnay-Sud Religious Association (Acas) against the prefectural order of 27 July ordering, on the basis of Article L. 227-1 of the Internal Security Code, the closure for six months of the Attaqwa mosque, known as ‘Chanteloup’, in Aulnay-sous-Bois; the judge hearing the application for interim relief held that the remarks made by the imams in the mosque and on social media constituted incitement to violence, hatred and discrimination in connection with the terrorist threat, and considers that the corrective measures announced by the association (including the removal of two imams) are insufficient; the ACAS’s lawyer announced that an appeal would be lodged with the Council of State
On 7 August 2026, the Montreuil Administrative Court dismissed the application for interim relief filed by the Aulnay-Sud Religious Association (Acas), which manages the Attaqwa mosque, known as ‘Chanteloup’, in Aulnay-sous-Bois, against the prefectural order of 27 July 2026 ordering the temporary closure of the place of worship for six months. The judge hearing the application for interim relief considered that Prefect Julien Charles’s decision did not constitute a serious and manifestly unlawful infringement of freedom of worship or freedom of expression. He noted that remarks constituting incitement to violence, hatred or discrimination in connection with the terrorist threat, or the glorification of acts of terrorism, had been made within the mosque and on the social media accounts of those who officiate there. The court ruled that the remedial measures put forward by Acas – including the removal of two imams who were the focus of most of the complaints – remain insufficient in light of the grounds for closure, particularly as the Prefect also noted the continued presence within the mosque of individuals disseminating these ideas. The Administrative Court’s ruling follows on from the government’s order in July 2026 to freeze the association’s assets. ACAS’s lawyer has announced an appeal to the Council of State, describing the decision as “less legal than political”.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – On 7 August, the Charity Commission for England and Wales launched a statutory investigation under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 against the Al-Khair Foundation (charity number 4037542), following the arrest in the United Kingdom of its executive, Mohammad Yousef Hasna, who is facing prosecution in the US federal courts for allegedly using his position within an international NGO to collect and channel funds to Hamas under the guise of humanitarian aid; at the same time, the Commission has issued a restrictive order under section 76(3)(f), capping the organisation’s financial transactions without its prior consent
On 7 August 2026, the Charity Commission for England and Wales announced the launch of a statutory inquiry under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 into the Al-Khair Foundation (charity number 4037542). The inquiry follows reports concerning alleged links between the organisation, its operational partners in Gaza and Hamas, an organisation proscribed in the United Kingdom, as well as the arrest in the United Kingdom of Mohammad Yousef Hasna, a director of one of Al-Khair’s partners involved in the distribution of aid to Gaza. The US federal court (Eastern District of New York) accuses Hasna, a 45-year-old Turkish national, of having “exploited his position as a senior official in an international NGO to solicit donations and channel money ’ to Hamas by disguising the transfers as humanitarian aid, allegedly in coordination with the Hamas official Ghazi Hamad. At the same time, the Charity Commission has issued, under section 76(3)(f) of the Charities Act 2011, a restrictive order making the organisation’s financial transactions subject to its prior approval. The investigation will examine the organisation’s governance, the vetting of international partners, the tracking of funds and the accountability of its trustees. According to the US indictment, the Al-Khair Foundation’s declared income is said to have risen from $41 million in 2023 to approximately $100 million in 2025. The Al-Khair Foundation claims to be a transparent ‘British humanitarian organisation’ and has announced its full cooperation.
Read in this edition → - Germany – On 7 August, AK Polis published an article by the legal expert Murat Kayman, a former DITIB executive, challenging the view that Muslim federations are effective actors in preventing Islamism, in response to interviews with sociologist Özgür Özvatan published following the Islamist attack on the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin; Kayman draws on data from the MOTRA research consortium to argue that strict religious certainty fuels Islamist views, highlights DITIB’s public silence in the aftermath of the attack, and advocates for the continued use of the term ‘Islamism’ in the German public debate
On 7 August 2026, AK Polis published an article by Murat Kayman, a lawyer and former senior official at the Turkish Directorate for Religious Affairs in Germany (DITIB). Kayman takes the opposite view to two recent public interviews given by the sociologist Özgür Özvatan, who presents German Muslim federations as legitimate partners and key players in preventing Islamist radicalisation, in the context of the 25 July attack on the Christopher Street Day (Pride) in Berlin. Kayman challenges this interpretation on several grounds. He points out that the theory that a sense of community belonging protects against extremism remains empirically unproven. He draws on data from the MOTRA (Monitoring System and Transfer Platform for Radicalisation) research consortium to argue that strict religious certainty, which rejects alternative interpretations, goes hand in hand with a hardening of Islamist positions. He criticises the proposal to abandon the term ‘Islamism’, which he considers necessary to distinguish between religion and its political instrumentalisation. Finally, he highlights DITIB’s public silence in the aftermath of the Berlin attack, in contrast to its swift mobilisation during previous crises. Kayman concludes that Muslim communities could become useful partners in prevention, but that substantial change is required, rather than automatic recognition.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Europe – On 12 August, the Gatestone Institute published the second part of an interview by Grégoire Canlorbe with the essayist Alexandre del Valle (“The Dangerous Neo-Ottomans and the Great Bat Ye’or”); the interview analyses Erdoğan’s neo-Ottoman ambitions, describes Milli Görüş as the “Turkish equivalent of Muslim Brotherhood ” and documents the role of Turkish religious networks (DITIB) in shaping political Islam in Europe, against a backdrop of joint funding of these federations by Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan
On 12 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published the second part of an interview conducted by Grégoire Canlorbe with the essayist Alexandre del Valle, under the title ‘The Dangerous Neo-Ottomans and the Great Bat Ye’or’. In it, Del Valle describes Erdoğan’s Turkey as “a danger comparable to the Ottoman Empire”, arguing that the Turkish president sees himself as the heir to the sultans and seeks to restore imperial influence. The interview outlines the migration and demographic policies being pursued in Northern Cyprus, Erdoğan’s strategy of presenting himself as the natural leader of European Islam through Turkish religious networks and the DITIB organisation, and explicitly describes Milli Görüş as the ‘Turkish equivalent of Muslim Brotherhood’. Del Valle also recalls Erdoğan’s 2008 statement describing the assimilation of Turks in Germany as “a crime against humanity”, and highlights the joint funding by Qatar, Turkey and Pakistan of European associations linked to the Brotherhood and hostile to Israel. The opinion piece is in line with Gatestone’s editorial stance on Turkey–Muslim Brotherhood links (Coughlin, 2 August; Rafizadeh, 8 August).
Read in this edition → - Austria – On 4 August, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI) announced the publication of several articles by its experts in the online magazine ‘The Hub. Insights’, which focuses on radicalisation; the announcement follows on from a series of DPI publications in 2026 on the financing of Hezbollah in Europe, the trial of the Vienna imam and the Muslim Brotherhood’s presence in the German-speaking world
On 4 August 2026, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI, or Austrian Documentation Centre on Political Islam) announced the publication of several articles by its experts in the digital magazine ‘The Hub. Insights’, which focuses on the prevention and analysis of radicalisation. This announcement follows on from the DPI’s other publications in 2026: a study by Nicolas Khatib on the financing of Hezbollah in Europe (15 April), a presentation by Deputy Director Haberl on the so-called ‘Vienna Imam’ trial (25 June), presentations at the CERIF conference in Paris (June) and research into the establishment of the Brotherhood and its networks in Austria and the German-speaking world.
Read in this edition → - Washington – Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, is holding a hearing on 5 August entitled ‘Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America’ on the alleged influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates in the United States (CAIR, the Islamic Society of North America, the North American Islamic Trust); the five Democratic senators on the subcommittee (Sheldon Whitehouse, Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Alex Padilla and Peter Welch) are boycotting the hearing, which they have described as a “political creepshow” targeting American Muslims; Cruz explicitly links the clip to the nomination of Abdul El-Sayed as the first Muslim Democrat to stand in a Senate election
On 5 August 2026, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) chaired a hearing in the US Senate entitled ‘Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America’, as part of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, which he chairs. The hearing aims to examine “how the Brotherhood has built its network in the United States and what that network looks like today” and covers its alleged infiltration of non-profit organisations, universities, the judiciary and programmes funded by taxpayers. Cruz explicitly targets the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), drawing on evidence produced during the Holy Land Foundation trial (2008). Three witnesses are heard: Lara Burns, a former FBI special agent (now at George Washington University); Arielle Klepach, of the National Jewish Advocacy Centre; and Kyle Shideler, of the Centre for Security Policy. Klepach notably called on Congress to close the ‘successor organisation loophole’, which allows designated organisations to reorganise under a different name. The five Democratic senators on the sub-committee – Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island), Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Alex Padilla (California) and Peter Welch (Vermont) – announced their boycott ahead of the session, describing the hearing as a ‘political creepshow’ targeting American Muslims against a backdrop of violence against places of worship. Cruz linked the sequence to the victory, the previous day in the Michigan Democratic primary, of Abdul El-Sayed, whom he described as ‘an example of the Brotherhood’s influence’ – thereby linking the hearing, the Stitt campaign in Oklahoma (12 August) and the coverage of El-Sayed and CAIR (10–13 August) within a single federal and state political narrative.
Read in this edition → - Oklahoma – On 12 August, Republican Governor Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2026-29, directing the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety to conduct an intelligence assessment of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), on the Muslim Brotherhood and their affiliates within the state, and instructs state officials to urge the federal government to designate both entities as Foreign Terrorist Organisations; Stitt becomes the third Republican governor to target these organisations, following Greg Abbott (Texas) and Ron DeSantis (Florida)
On 12 August 2026, Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2026-29, as announced in a press release issued on 13 August by the Governor’s Office. The order directs the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety to conduct an intelligence assessment to determine whether the Muslim Brotherhood, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) or any entity, agent or person acting in concert with them, are carrying out activities in Oklahoma that constitute a terrorist threat or a threat to public safety, and to take any preventive or investigative measures based on this intelligence. The executive order also directs the heads of public security agencies to urge the federal government to designate Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Foreign Terrorist Organisations. The governor cites the historical link between the Brotherhood and Hamas and the so-called Holy Land Foundation case (2009). The executive order follows on from the FTO designation adopted by President Trump in November 2025 against several chapters of the Brotherhood and makes Stitt the third Republican governor to explicitly target CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood after Greg Abbott (Texas) and Ron DeSantis (Florida), whose designation had been blocked by a federal judge following a challenge by CAIR. CAIR Oklahoma has condemned the decision as being based on “debunked conspiracy theories”.
Read in this edition → - Michigan / Washington – Following Abdul El-Sayed’s victory in the 5 August Democratic primary for the Michigan Senate election – the first time a Muslim candidate has been nominated by the Democratic Party for this election – the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is launching a campaign on 10 August to rally support for his candidacy, followed by a PolitiFact report on 10 August refuting claims made by Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and conservative influencers who portrayed El-Sayed as an advocate of Sharia law in the United States, based on a speech he gave in 2022 at a CAIR gala in Oklahoma City
On 5 August 2026, the former head of public health, Abdulrahman Mohamed ‘Abdul’ El-Sayed, won the Democratic primary for the Michigan Senate election and became the first Muslim candidate to be nominated by the Democratic Party at this level. On 10 August, PolitiFact published a ‘Pants on Fire’ fact-check refuting claims made by Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and several conservative influencers, who portrayed El-Sayed as an advocate for the introduction of Sharia law in the United States, based on a speech he gave in 2022 at a gala organised by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Oklahoma City. The same reports from 10 and 13 August highlight CAIR’s involvement in its “August Recess Advocacy Toolkit” campaign (announced in late July) in support of the candidacy, as well as local disputes relating to proposed mosques in McKinney (Texas), Mooresville (North Carolina) and Broken Arrow (Oklahoma, where the Islamic Society lodged an appeal in August under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalised Persons Act). This episode provides CAIR with a case for the summer Senate race and coincides with Governor Kevin Stitt’s offensive in Oklahoma (Executive Order 2026-29 of 12 August).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 8 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Majid Rafizadeh (“President Trump: Beware the Motivations of Regional ‘Friends’”) which warns against the diplomatic involvement of Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan in negotiations with Iran; In it, Rafizadeh describes these three states as actors pursuing “expansionist ambitions inspired by Muslim Brotherhood” and calls for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran’s military capabilities, comparable to that of Nazi Germany in 1945
On 8 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Majid Rafizadeh entitled ‘President Trump: Beware the Motivations of Regional “Friends”’. The author criticises President Donald Trump’s diplomatic strategy towards Turkey, Qatar and Pakistan in relation to the Iranian issue. Rafizadeh argues that these three states systematically intervene to negotiate with Iran at a time when its military capabilities are weakened, thereby prolonging the threat. He describes these governments as actors pursuing “expansionist ambitions inspired by Muslim Brotherhood ’ and argues that their mediation is detrimental to US interests. The opinion piece calls for the ‘unconditional surrender’ of Iran’s military capability, comparable to that of Nazi Germany in 1945, and aligns with Gatestone’s recent editorial line on Turkey–Qatar relations – Brotherhood (Coughlin, 2 August; Canlorbe / del Valle, 12 August).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 16 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Robert Williams (“European Leaders: In Urgent Need of Deradicalisation”) which documents what the author describes as European leaders’ “anti-Semitic obsession” with regard to Israel: parliamentary time devoted to the conflict in the UK, the Irish President’s support for a pro-Hamas flotilla, investigations launched in France, and a pro-Hamas performance at a school in Madrid; Williams places this “obsession” within the broader context of Europe’s retreat in the face of political Islam and the fragility of European Jewish communities
On 16 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Robert Williams entitled ‘European Leaders: In Urgent Need of Deradicalisation’. The author argues that the systematically hostile attitude of several European leaders towards Israel masks structural anti-Semitism. He cites several examples: British parliamentary time devoted, in his view, to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the expense of domestic issues; public support from the Irish President for a flotilla which the author describes as linked to Hamas; French investigations launched against Israeli figures; and a pro-Hamas event, documented in the opinion piece, at a school in Madrid. Williams draws a historical parallel with 20th-century European anti-Semitism and argues that this anti-Israeli obsession undermines the national interests of European states whilst putting their Jewish communities at risk. The article forms part of Gatestone’s coverage of European setbacks in the face of political Islam, published this summer.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 12 August, The Long War Journal published an article by Seth J. Frantzman (“ IRGC-Qods Force commander Qaani travels to Iraq amid pressure over militia weapons”), documenting the visit to Iraq by the commander of the Qods Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Esmail Qaani, against a backdrop of US-Iraqi pressure regarding the disarmament of Shia militias; the article frames this visit within the context of Iran’s strategy to preserve its regional proxies – a theme pursued by the same editorial team in its series of ‘Axis of Aggressors’ analyses published on 12 August
On 12 August 2026, *The Long War Journal* published an article by Seth J. Frantzman entitled ‘IRGC-Qods Force commander Qaani travels to Iraq amid pressure over militia weapons’. It documents the visit to Baghdad by General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force (IRGC-QF), at a time when Washington and Baghdad are continuing to exert pressure on the Shia militias armed by Tehran. Frantzman frames this visit within Iran’s strategy to preserve its regional proxies, building on the work of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) on the state sponsors of the brotherist (Iran, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan), which has been documented since the end of July 2026. On the same day, the editorial team at the Long War Journal continued its video series ‘Generation Jihad | China, Russia, Iran, North Korea: Inside the Axis of Aggressors’.
Read in this edition → - Seine-Saint-Denis – On 27 July, the Prefecture issued a statement announcing the six-month administrative closure of the Attaqwa mosque, known as the ‘Chanteloup’ mosque, in Aulnay-sous-Bois, pursuant to Article L. 227-1 of the Internal Security Code, on the grounds of glorifying terrorism and inciting violence; the Prefecture alleges that the imams and guest speakers have been spreading a radical Islamist ideology, legitimising jihad and glorifying death as a martyr. On 28 July, the religious association responsible for managing the mosque (ACAS) brought an application for interim relief before the Montreuil Administrative Court, contesting the use of “remarks taken out of context”
On 27 July 2026, the Seine-Saint-Denis Prefecture issued a press release announcing the six-month administrative closure of the Attaqwa Mosque, known as the ‘Chanteloup’ Mosque, in Aulnay-sous-Bois. The measure was taken under Article L. 227-1 of the Internal Security Code, which allows for the temporary closure of a place of worship where the statements, ideas or theories disseminated there incite violence, hatred or discrimination, glorify terrorism or encourage its commission. The prefecture alleges that the regular imams and occasional speakers have been spreading, in their sermons and on social media accounts, a radical Islamist ideology that echoes the rhetoric of terrorist organisations, legitimises jihad and glorifies death as a martyr’s fate. According to AFP, a video posted on X shows an imam speaking at the mosque urging worshippers to strike their children aged eleven or over who do not pray. The Aulnay-Sud Religious Association (ACAS), which manages the place of worship, filed an application for interim relief with the Montreuil Administrative Court on 28 July to challenge the decision, citing “taken out of context” remarks and a breach of freedom of worship. On 1 August, the local press (MonAulnay) reported that the closure would remain in place until the case was heard on its merits.
Read in this edition → - Germany – In the wake of the Islamist attack on the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin, AK Polis published an article on 29 July by Thierry Chervel (co-founder of Perlentaucher magazine) on 29 July, linking the event to the German debate on political Islam, to the rarely heard voices of Muslim dissidents Güner Balci and Ahmad Mansour, and to the controversy sparked by the description of ‘anomalies ’ (Abnormalitäten) by Burhan Kesici, president of the German Islamic Council, to motifs featured in an institutional campaign promoting Muslim diversity
On 29 July 2026, AK Polis published an article by Thierry Chervel, co-founder of the cultural magazine Perlentaucher, in response to the Islamist attack on 25 July against the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin (one person killed, several dozen injured; the perpetrator was shot dead on 26 July in Spandau). The author focuses his commentary on the debates surrounding the relationship between political Islam and civil liberties in Germany. He points out that the perpetrator of the attack, Abdul Ballout, was educated in German schools, questions the state’s shifting of responsibility onto civil society, and highlights the insufficient platform afforded to Muslim dissidents such as Güner Balci and Ahmad Mansour. Chervel revisits the recent controversy surrounding Burhan Kesici, president of the German Islamic Council (Islamrat, historically close to the Milli Görüş movement), who described as ‘anomalies ’ (Abnormalitäten) four scenarios (a teacher without a headscarf, a mixed-faith couple, a same-sex couple, a man drinking rakı) featured in a German government campaign promoting Muslim diversity – precisely the kind of freedom targeted by the attack.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – United States – On 2 August, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Con Coughlin (“ Erdogan’s Courtship of President Trump”), which warns against lifting restrictions on the sale of F-35s to Turkey and documents attempts by Erdoğan and his Qatari allies to dissuade Hamas from disarming, notably through proposed arms transfers to the Palestinian Authority or ‘secure storage’ schemes presented as designed to preserve the movement’s power in Gaza
On 2 August 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an opinion piece by Con Coughlin, former defence editor of the Daily Telegraph, entitled ‘Erdogan’s Courtship of President Trump’. In it, the author warns against Donald Trump’s stated willingness to consider lifting restrictions on the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. He argues that Erdoğan and his Qatari Islamist allies have sought to dissuade Hamas from agreeing to any disarmament as part of the Gaza deal, by proposing schemes – such as arms transfers to the Palestinian Authority or ‘secure storage’ ’ – which Coughlin describes as designed to preserve the movement’s power in Gaza. The opinion piece highlights Erdoğan’s documented links with the Muslim Brotherhood and emphasises the discrepancy between the US President’s actions and the stated objective of Hamas’s ‘complete disarmament’. It follows on from the article published on 31 July by Nils A. Haug (Gatestone) on the strategic risks of transferring F-35s to Turkey.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 30 July, Natalie Ecanow (FDD) published a brief (“Former Israeli prime minister says Qatar funded Iran’s IRGC ”) which documents and puts into context the public statement by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert alleging that Doha had provided financial support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, following on from the FDD note of 23 July on the lack of US pressure on Qatar
On 30 July 2026, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) published a brief by Natalie Ecanow entitled ‘Former Israeli prime minister says Qatar funded Iran’s IRGC’. The paper documents and contextualises a public statement by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert alleging that Qatar had provided financial support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It forms part of an FDD series focusing on Doha: the 23 July 2026 brief by the same author had already questioned the lack of US political pressure on Qatar to extradite Hamas leaders and other terrorist figures hosted on its territory, even as Qatar’s status as a major non-NATO ally remains unchanged.
Read in this edition → - Egypt / Gulf – On 31 July, Mariam Wahba (FDD) published a brief (“ Drone Strike on Egypt Spotlights Iran’s Expanding Pressure Campaign”) which places the strike attributed to Iran against Egypt within the context of a regional pressure campaign targeting Arab states that have remained aligned with the Trump administration’s approach to Hamas disarmament
On 31 July 2026, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies published a policy brief by Mariam Wahba, entitled ‘Drone Strike on Egypt Spotlights Iran’s Expanding Pressure Campaign’. The analysis places the drone strike attributed to Iran against Egypt within the context of a regional pressure campaign targeting Arab states that have remained aligned with the US approach to disarming Hamas. It forms part of the FDD’s coverage, the previous week, of the OFAC designations of 23 July 2026 targeting Mahmoud al-Abyari (Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of the Muslim Brotherhood Egyptians) and Hamas’s financial network in Indonesia, Gaza and Turkey.
Read in this edition → - Gaza – On 1 August, Mark Dubowitz and Ben Cohen (FDD) published an analysis in the New York Post (“ Trump’s Board of Peace proposal has hit a roadblock amid reconstruction of the Gaza Strip”) which identifies the issue of Hamas’s disarmament as a stumbling block to the transitional governance plan championed by the Trump administration, against a backdrop of resistance from regional brotheristintermediaries
On 1 August 2026, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies reported the publication in the New York Post of an analysis co-authored by Mark Dubowitz (Executive Director of the FDD) and Ben Cohen entitled ‘Trump’s Board of Peace proposal has hit a roadblock amid reconstruction of the Gaza Strip’. The authors identify Hamas’s refusal to disarm – which they claim is being supported by the movement’s regional backers (Qatar and Turkey) – as the main stumbling block to the US proposal for a ‘Board of Peace’ designed to oversee the transitional governance and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The analysis refers to the OFAC designations of Muslim Brotherhood and their financial ecosystem, which have been in place since January 2026.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 30 July, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and CAIR Action announced the publication of their ‘2026 August Recess Advocacy Toolkit ” and the organisation of a national webinar that same evening designed to prepare Muslim activists to meet with their MPs during the summer recess of Congress; the announcement follows the publication by CAIR of a report documenting a 183 per cent increase in ‘incidents’ targeting Muslim places of worship compared with the same period in 2025
On 30 July 2026, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its advocacy arm, CAIR Action, announced the publication of their ‘2026 August Recess Advocacy Toolkit’ and the organisation, at 8.30 pm (Eastern Time), of a national webinar designed to prepare Muslim activists to meet with their federal elected representatives during the congressional recess. The initiative, coordinated at a national level, forms part of CAIR’s political outreach strategy – an organisation described in several studies (Middle East Forum, ISGAP) as a long-standing conduit for the Muslim Brotherhood ecosystem in the United States. It accompanies the publication by CAIR of a report highlighting, for the months of May to July 2026 alone, a reported 183 per cent increase in ‘incidents’ targeting Muslim places of worship compared with the same period in 2025.
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 31 July, MEMRI published an analysis by Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez (“Cheap Wars, Expensive Men”, MEMRI Daily Brief No. 959), which provides a strategic assessment of the 39-day ‘Iran War’ (late February – early April 2026) and documents the discrepancy between the scale of the US-Israeli strikes and the fact that Iran’s oil leverage remained intact, whilst Iran remains one of the identified state sponsors of brotheristproxies in Europe and North America
On 31 July 2026, MEMRI published an analysis by Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez, vice-president of the institute (‘Analysis: Cheap Wars, Expensive Men’, MEMRI Daily Brief No. 959). The text provides a strategic assessment of the 39-day ‘Iran War’ (late February – early April 2026): the Iranian regime’s main economic lever – its oil exports – remained unscathed throughout the US-Israeli campaign, contributing to the financial survival of the security apparatus and its regional proxies. The analysis forms part of MEMRI’s coverage of the state sponsors of the brotherist ecosystem (Iran, Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan) identified in analyses published the same week by the FDD (Ecanow, Wahba) and Gatestone (Coughlin) – with Iran being treated by these think tanks as a regional actor that strategically supports Hamas and movements affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, despite sectarian differences. On 28 July, MEMRI also published an Inquiry & Analysis (No. 1963) by Tufail Ahmad and Yigal Carmon on Pakistani perceptions of this same war (‘Pakistan’s Perceptions Of America’s Defeat And Of Its Own Victory In The U.S.-Iran War, Refueling Calls for Nuclear War Against India”).
Read in this edition → - Italy – On 28 July, *Il Giornale* published an interview by Francesca Neri with the legal scholar Tommaso Virgili (a researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Centre, a CERIF expert and co-author with Florence Bergeaud-Blackler of the report ‘Unmasking the Muslim Brotherhood’) on what he terms the ‘cognitive schizophrenia’ of the Western left, which combats religious oppression whilst allying itself with Islamist movements for electoral gain; he describes the tactical alliances of Muslim Brotherhood with feminist and LGBT movements and the instrumentalisation of the hijab, which is presented as ‘empowerment’
On 28 July 2026, the Italian daily newspaper *Il Giornale* published an interview by Francesca Neri with Tommaso Virgili, a legal scholar, researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Centre and expert at European Centre for Research and Information on Brotherism (CERIF). In the interview, Virgili analyses what he describes as the ‘cognitive schizophrenia’ of the Western left: a stance that denounces religious oppression whilst, through electoral patronage, allying itself with Islamist movements hostile to the rights of women and sexual minorities. He describes the strategy of ‘tactical alliances’ through which Muslim Brotherhood forge partnerships with feminist or LGBT movements to gain a foothold in liberal societies – in contrast to Salafism, which is more confrontational – and the instrumentalisation of the veil, presented as a tool for ‘empowerment’ in the face of alleged ‘double discrimination’. As co-author, with Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, of the report ‘Unmasking the Muslim Brotherhood ’ (ECR, European Parliament, 2025), Virgili extends into the Italian debate the analyses conducted within CERIF on the Muslim Brotherhood’s strategy of influence brotherist in Europe.
Read in this edition → - Berlin – On 26 July, an Islamist attack, for which responsibility was claimed, struck the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march: Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German of Lebanese origin, drove a hire car into the crowd and then continued his attack with a machete; the incident left one person dead and at least 29 injured. The suspect had been sentenced in 2025 to 22 months’ imprisonment for attempting to join Islamic State in Syria via Lebanon, a sentence largely covered by his pre-trial detention; Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the attack as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack.
On the night of 25–26 July 2026, the Christopher Street Day (Pride) march in Berlin was the target of an attack claimed to be of Islamist origin. Abdul Ballout, a 21-year-old German of Lebanese origin, drove a hire car into the crowd near the parade route and then continued his attack with a machete. The provisional death toll stands at one, with at least 29 people injured. The suspect had shared Islamic State propaganda on Instagram in 2024 and had attempted in 2025 to join the organisation in Syria via Lebanon, for which he received a 22-month prison sentence, most of which was served during his pre-trial detention. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has described the attack as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack. Ballout was shot dead by the police following his arrest. The incident has reignited the debate in Germany over post-release monitoring of individuals who have been involved in jihadist networks, in the wake of the dissolution of the Islamic Centre of Hamburg (IZH) in July 2024 and following on from the parliamentary debates sparked by the decisions of the Verfassungsschutz regarding the surveillance of movements linked to Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - Hamburg – Hamburg’s Senator for Science, Maryam Blumenthal (Greens), publicly backed, on 24 July, the plan to transform the confiscated premises of the Islamic Centre of Hamburg (IZH) – which was dissolved in July 2024 after being labelled an ‘instrument of the Iranian terrorist regime’ – into a memorial for the victims of Islamism; she described the proposal as “highly conciliatory” and sees it as part of the building’s ambivalent history
On 24 July 2026, AK Polis (Arbeitskreis Politischer Islam) reported on the statement made by Maryam Blumenthal, Hamburg Senator for Science (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen), in favour of converting the confiscated premises of the Islamic Centre of Hamburg (Islamisches Zentrum Hamburg, IZH) into a memorial dedicated to the victims of Islamism. The IZH, which was dissolved by the Federal Minister of the Interior in July 2024 following several decades of surveillance by the Verfassungsschutz, had at the time been described as an ‘instrument of the Iranian terrorist regime’ due to its role as a conduit for the Iranian Shia clergy in Europe. Blumenthal refers to the building’s “ambivalent history” and believes the project has “something very conciliatory” about it. The fate of the premises remains undecided two years after the ban, and the proposal – championed in particular by organisations from the Iranian diaspora – is facing municipal political considerations and a competing claim for religious use.
Read in this edition → - Germany – On 23 July, AK Polis published an analysis of the ZDF television appearance by Burhan Kesici, President of the German Islamic Council (Islamrat), who described as “anomalies ’ (Abnormalitäten) four motifs from an institutional campaign promoting Muslim diversity (a teacher without a headscarf, a mixed-faith couple, a same-sex couple, and a man drinking rakı); the analysis points out that 70 per cent of Muslim women in Germany do not wear a headscarf
On 23 July 2026, AK Polis published an analysis of an appearance by Burhan Kesici, President of the German Islamic Council (Islamrat), on the public broadcaster ZDF. In the programme, Kesici described four examples illustrating an institutional campaign highlighting the diversity of Muslim practices in Germany as ‘anomalies’ (Abnormalitäten): a teacher not wearing a headscarf, a mixed-faith couple, a same-sex couple and a man drinking rakı. AK Polis’s analysis contrasts this characterisation with the available data, which indicates that around 70 per cent of Muslim women in Germany do not wear a headscarf, and summarises the political reactions: an SPD State Secretary publicly compared Kesici to a far-right leader, a remark that sparked controversy within the Bundestag. The Islamrat is one of Germany’s major Muslim federations, regularly identified for its historical links with the Milli Görüş movement.
Read in this edition → - Europe – On 26 July, the Gatestone Institute published an interview by Grégoire Canlorbe with the geopolitical analyst Alexandre del Valle (“The Exploding Islamisation of the West, Part I”), which identifies three drivers of Islamisation in Europe: transnational Islamist movements (Muslim Brotherhood, the Pakistani Tabligh), state sponsors (Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan) and the ‘political correctness’ of Western elites; the interview draws in particular on the analysis of Pierre Brochand (former DGSE director, 2002–2008)
On 26 July 2026, the Gatestone Institute published the first part of an interview by Grégoire Canlorbe with the geopolitical analyst Alexandre del Valle, under the title ‘The Exploding Islamisation of the West: A Conversation with Alexandre del Valle, Part I’. Del Valle identifies three drivers of what he terms the political Islamisation of the European continent: transnational Islamist movements (primarily the Muslim Brotherhood and the Pakistani Tabligh); state sponsors (Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and, to a lesser extent, Saudi Arabia) which fund civil society networks and influence operations; and finally the “political correctness” of Western elites, which he argues renders the ideological significance of these actors invisible. The interview quotes Pierre Brochand, former Director-General of External Security (2002–2008), on the self-perpetuating nature of migration flows to Europe, and highlights the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Read in this edition → - Washington – On 23 July, the Treasury Department announced, via the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the designation of Mahmoud al-Abyari, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of Muslim Brotherhood Egyptians residing in London (holding dual Egyptian-Austrian nationality), and of three individuals and three entities linked to the financing of Hamas; the entities targeted include two bogus charities (Tujah Bulah Global in Indonesia and Madad Palestine Charitable Society in Gaza) and a Turkish shadow banking platform (El-Kahira for General Trading)
On 23 July 2026, the US Department of the Treasury announced, via the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the designation of seven individuals for providing material support to Hamas and its military wing (the Al-Qassam Brigades). The most high-profile designation is that of Mahmoud al-Abyari, Secretary-General of the Muslim Brotherhood General Secretariat, a British resident holding dual Egyptian and Austrian nationality. Three other individuals and three entities have been designated alongside him: Tujah Bulah Global, a bogus charity based in Indonesia; Madad Palestine Charitable Society, an organisation based in Gaza; and El-Kahira for General Trading, a parallel banking platform registered in Turkey which, according to the statement, has transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to the military wing of Hamas. The measures freeze the assets of those designated on US territory and bar them from accessing the US financial system. The designation of al-Abyari, an executive based in London, sends a clear political signal to the British government, which had chosen in 2015 (the Jenkin report) not to ban Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - FDD – On 23 July, Natalie Ecanow published ‘Why Hasn’t Washington Pressed Qatar To Extradite Terrorists?’, a critical analysis of the lack of US pressure on Doha regarding the extradition of Hamas leaders and other terrorist figures hosted on Qatari territory, even as the Trump administration steps up its designation measures against the Brotherhood’s funding networks
On 23 July 2026, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) published an analysis by Natalie Ecanow entitled ‘Why Hasn’t Washington Pressed Qatar To Extradite Terrorists?’. The article examines the discrepancy between, on the one hand, the intensification of OFAC designations targeting the financial networks of Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas (including those announced on the same day targeting Mahmoud al-Abyari), and, on the other hand, the lack of US political pressure on Qatar to extradite Hamas leaders and other terrorist figures hosted on its territory. Ecanow points out that Doha hosts Hamas’s political bureau as well as several figures from the Muslim Brotherhood who have been sanctioned by third parties, and that Qatar’s status as a ‘major non-NATO ally’ remains unchanged under the Trump administration. This analysis follows on from CERIF’s coverage, the previous week, of the FDD Ciddi-Stapleton brief on Turkey’s planned resale of Russian S-400 systems to Qatar or the United Arab Emirates.
Read in this edition → - New York – JNS (Jewish News Syndicate) reported on 24 July that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani in the wake of an anti-Semitic stabbing on the Upper West Side (two men were stabbed on 23 July; the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar”); B’nai B’rith International (Daniel S. Mariaschin) condemned CAIR’s move, and Israeli Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused Mamdani of incitement
On 24 July 2026, JNS (Jewish News Syndicate) published an article by Jessica Russak-Hoffman documenting the solidarity expressed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter (CAIR-NY) with the Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, in the wake of an anti-Semitic stabbing that took place on 23 July on Manhattan’s Upper West Side: two men were stabbed by an attacker who shouted “Allahu Akbar” before being arrested. CAIR’s statement accuses several pro-Israel advocacy organisations of conflating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the American Jewish community, without mentioning the knife attack. Daniel S. Mariaschin, executive director of B’nai B’rith International, has publicly condemned CAIR’s approach. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accuses Zohran Mamdani of incitement, echoing the controversies that have been ongoing since the mayoral campaign over the mayor’s links to the Students for Justice in Palestine movement. On 26 July, Fox News published an opinion piece by Charles Asher Small (ISGAP) which drew on a 2025 report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy to trace Mamdani’s political trajectory (co-founding an SJP branch at Bowdoin College, a $100,000 donation from CAIR) and links it to the ideology of Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - Paris – On 15 July, to mark the centenary of the Grand Mosque of Paris, the Minister for the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, announced a “national strategy to combat anti-religious acts”, backed by the ongoing national and regional conferences; he highlighted an 88 per cent rise in anti-Muslim acts in 2025 (326 recorded incidents) and stated, “For the secular Republic, which recognises no religion, to attack a Muslim is to attack one of its own children.”
On 15 July 2026, the Grand Mosque of Paris will celebrate the centenary of its inauguration (July 1926) in the presence of the Minister for the Interior, Laurent Nuñez; Minister Aurore Bergé; the Prefect of Police, Patrice Faure; the Mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, the President of the Île-de-France Region, Valérie Pécresse, and the Rector, Chems-Eddine Hafiz. The Minister announced that a “national strategy to combat anti-religious acts” is currently being drawn up, building on the national and regional conferences convened by the President of the Republic, and centred on training, prevention and research. He highlighted an 88 per cent rise in anti-Muslim acts in 2025 (326 recorded incidents) and around 2,500 anti-religious acts across all faiths in the same year. Nuñez states: “For the secular Republic, which recognises no religion, to attack a Muslim is to attack one of its own children”, and recalls the “debt of blood and gratitude” that lies at the heart of the building, in reference to the 70,000 Muslim infantrymen who died at Verdun in 1916. The announcement follows on from the departmental conferences held in several prefectures since June 2026 and the preparation of a government bill against infiltration, currently before the Council of State.
Read in this edition → - Causeur - On 18 July, Dominique Labarrière published ‘The Islamic veil: is the ban a trap for fools?’, an opinion piece revisiting the differences that have emerged between Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella within the National Rally regarding the ban on the Islamic veil in public spaces; the author argues that legislation on Islamic dress should be based on legal and republican principles (gender equality, fundamental rights) rather than religious ones
On 18 July 2026, *Causeur* published an opinion piece by Dominique Labarrière entitled ‘The Islamic veil: is a ban just a trap for fools?’. The article details the public differences that have emerged between Marine Le Pen – who has been advocating a blanket ban on the veil in public spaces since 2012 – and Jordan Bardella, who prioritises a ban in public buildings, deeming enforcement on the streets “more complex”. The author sees this as a strategic hesitation within the RN and criticises the media framing that confines the debate solely to religious grounds. He argues for a legal and republican basis grounded in gender equality and fundamental rights, rather than on the religious dimension of Islamic dress, in order to avoid legal and community challenges to the measure. The opinion piece documents the political polarisation in France over political Islam at a time when the Nuñez government is preparing its own draft bill against infiltration (in the Council of State) and the Retailleau proposal is awaiting consideration in the National Assembly.
Read in this edition → - Austria – Documentation Centre on Political Islam: On 16 July, Lucian Reinfandt published, in the 15th bulletin of the EU Knowledge Hub on the prevention of radicalisation, an analysis of Islamist populism which documents how certain religious actors politicise Islamic discourse in line with classic populist patterns (an ‘us versus them’ dichotomy, and the claim to represent ‘true Islam’ and ‘all Muslims’)
On 16 July 2026, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI) announced the publication of an article by Lucian Reinfandt, one of its researchers, in the 15th bulletin of the EU Knowledge Hub, the European Commission’s platform dedicated to the prevention of radicalisation and extremism. The analysis documents how certain actors within political Islam base their claims on classic populist tropes: an ‘us versus them’ opposition, the claim to speak on behalf of ‘true Islam’ and ‘all Muslims’, and the discrediting of rival religious authorities and democratic institutions, which are portrayed as illegitimate. Reinfandt argues that the political radicalisation thus produced is not necessarily extremist or violent, but that it undermines democratic pluralism by imposing an identity-based interpretation of religious affiliation. He advocates the use of a populist analytical framework to identify these dynamics before they lead to violent or criminally reprehensible behaviour, and to develop proportionate institutional responses.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / United States – Gatestone Institute: On 19 July, Con Coughlin published ‘Trump Must Abandon His Dangerous Plan to Sell F-35s to Turkey’, a warning against the Trump administration’s lifting of the ban on the sale of American F-35s to Ankara, citing Erdogan’s documented links with Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, as well as Turkey’s role in blocking efforts to disarm Hamas as part of the peace plan for Gaza
On 19 July 2026, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Con Coughlin entitled ‘Trump Must Abandon His Dangerous Plan to Sell F-35s to Turkey’. The article opposes the Trump administration’s alleged intention to lift the ban on the sale of American F-35s to Turkey, which was imposed following Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems in 2019 (CAATSA sanctions). The author documents Turkish support for radical Islamist groups – Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas in particular – and details how, according to the sources he cites, Ankara is said to have sabotaged a joint US-Israeli operation aimed at destabilising the Iranian regime via a Kurdish incursion, as well as actively thwarted attempts to disarm Hamas as envisaged by the Gaza peace plan. Coughlin concludes that Erdogan’s links with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, combined with his threats against Israel, render the sale incompatible with the security interests of the US and its allies (Israel, Greece). This analysis follows on from CERIF’s coverage, the previous week, of the FDD Ciddi-Stapleton memo on the proposed resale of the S-400s to Qatar or the UAE.
Read in this edition → - Florida – On 17 July, Federal Judge Mark E. Walker (Northern District of Florida) rejected the application for an emergency restraining order filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and CAIR Florida against Governor Ron DeSantis’s implementation of Bill HB 1471, stating that he was “not persuaded that emergency relief should be granted” prior to an adversarial hearing with the defendants; at the same time, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced a postponement of the designation
On 17 July 2026, Federal Judge Mark E. Walker (US District Court for the Northern District of Florida) dismissed the application for a temporary restraining order filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Florida branch, CAIR Florida, against Governor Ron DeSantis’s implementation of Bill HB 1471, which came into force on 1 July and authorises the State of Florida to designate organisations as ‘domestic terrorist organisations’. The judge wrote that he was “not persuaded that emergency relief should be granted before the defendants have been heard”. The decision follows the federal complaint filed on 1 July by the ACLU of Florida and the Southern Poverty Law Centre on behalf of CAIR and CAIR Florida, invoking the First and Fourteenth Amendments. On 14–15 July, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) simultaneously announced a postponement of the designation process, without setting a firm timetable, thereby prolonging the legal uncertainty for the organisations concerned.
Read in this edition → - Texas – Middle East Forum (Islamist Watch): On 17 July, Sam Westrop published ‘Texas Islamist Charter School Funded With $75 Million of State Monies’, an investigation documenting the payment of approximately $75 million in public funds to the Manara Academy network (three schools in Irving and Arlington), identified as having links to a Salafist Islamist network in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (Valley Ranch Mosque, Islamic Centre of Irving)
On 17 July 2026, the Middle East Forum (Islamist Watch) published an investigation by Sam Westrop entitled ‘Texas Islamist Charter School Funded With $75 Million of State Monies’, which was also picked up by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The article documents the allocation of approximately $75 million in public funds – including more than $60 million via the State of Texas’s Foundation School Fund – to the Manara Academy network, comprising three state-contracted schools in Irving and Arlington. Westrop establishes, with supporting documentary evidence, the network’s links to a Salafist Islamist ecosystem in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, including the Valley Ranch Mosque and the Islamic Centre of Irving, several of whose senior staff and teachers have been associated with institutions identified as being linked to Hamas. The investigation details the public partnership between Manara and these organisations, which was still in place as recently as April 2026, as well as school events focused on the Palestinian cause, and provides further evidence for the investigation launched by the State of Texas into nearly 50 private Islamic and Chinese schools, which was partly prompted by Westrop’s research.
Read in this edition → - Lille – *Le Monde* reports that on 8 July, the Douai Administrative Court of Appeal quashed the April 2025 judgement reinstating the partnership agreement between the State and the Averroès Muslim secondary school in Lille, on the grounds of a procedural irregularity (failure to lodge a prior administrative appeal with the prefect); the school, which is widely recognised for its links with the Muslim Brotherhood movement, has filed an application for interim relief and is once again appealing to the prefect with a view to the start of the 2026 academic year
On 8 July, the Douai Administrative Court of Appeal handed down a ruling overturning the April 2025 judgement of the Lille Administrative Court, which had reinstated the partnership agreement between the State and the Averroès private Muslim secondary school in Lille. The court ruled that the initial application was inadmissible, as the school had failed to lodge the required prior administrative appeal with the prefect before bringing the matter before the court. The decision was made on the grounds of a procedural irregularity, and not on the merits of the dispute concerning the termination ordered in 2023. Averroès, regularly identified in public reports as having links to the Muslim Brotherhood movement, announced that it would file an application for interim relief to suspend the termination and maintain the effects of the partnership agreement until the start of the 2026 academic year, and would refer the matter to the prefect once again for a review. Le Monde, Le Parisien and Mediacités reported on the ruling the very same day.
Read in this edition → - Le Parisien reports that the government has launched a national consultation aimed at identifying a new spokesperson for France’s Muslim community, following the failure of the representation provided by the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) and the Forum of Islam in France (Forif); the stated aim is to “rid certain major organisations of foreign influences that are said to be undermining them”
On 12 July, *Le Parisien* published an article entitled ‘Islam: Muslims consulted to find a new spokesperson’. The article reports that, following a meeting chaired at the Élysée Palace, the launch of a national consultation aimed at identifying a new representative body for Islam in France, following the failure of successive initiatives led first by the CFCM (French Council of the Muslim Faith) and then by the Forif (Forum of Islam in France). The government states that the exercise has the explicit aim of “ridding certain major structures of foreign influences that are undermining them” – a formulation that follows on from the government report of May 2025 on “The Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France”. The consultation is due to begin in the week of 14 July.
Read in this edition → - Jean-Jaurès Foundation – Farid Vahid, co-director of the Foundation’s North Africa and Middle East Observatory, has published *War and Peace in Iran: The Clash of Rationalities”, a strategic analysis of the 2025–2026 period involving Washington, Jerusalem and Tehran, and of the divergence in rationality frameworks that led to the June war and subsequently to the current truce
On 8 July, the Jean-Jaurès Foundation published an analysis by Farid Vahid entitled ‘War and Peace in Iran: The Clash of Rationalities’. The text reviews the sequence of events that began with the US withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal and ended with the war in June 2026: the author argues that Washington underestimated the Iranian regime’s ability to withstand military pressure, provided that such pressure did not undermine the Islamic Republic’s domestic legitimacy. The analysis argues for a non-mirror interpretation of Tehran’s decision-making frameworks and documents the gap between Western coercive logic and the regime’s calculations, in which domestic suffering serves as a negotiating tool. All parties emerge weakened from this episode, with Iranian civil society paying the highest price.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / United States – Foundation for Defence of Democracies: Sinan Ciddi and Tyler Stapleton publish ‘Selling the S-400 to Qatar or the UAE Solves Turkey’s Problem, Not Washington’s”, a policy paper opposing the resale of the Russian S-400 systems acquired by Turkey to Gulf partners – a move envisaged to lift CAATSA sanctions and allow Ankara’s return to the F-35 programme
On 10 July, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) published an analysis paper by Sinan Ciddi and Tyler Stapleton entitled ‘Selling the S-400 to Qatar or the UAE Solves Turkey’s Problem, Not Washington’s’. The authors oppose the scheme being considered by Ankara, which involves reselling the Russian S-400 air defence systems acquired in 2019 to a Gulf state (Qatar or the United Arab Emirates) the Russian S-400 air defence systems acquired in 2019, in order to secure the lifting of CAATSA sanctions and Turkey’s return to the US F-35 programme. The article emphasises that the resale would not reduce the operational vulnerability exposed by Russian-Turkish technical cooperation and would, in the case of Qatar, transform a long-standing supplier to Hamas and of Muslim Brotherhood propaganda into the holder of a new-generation Russian system. This analysis forms part of the coverage of the NATO summit in Ankara documented by CERIF the previous week.
Read in this edition → - Israel – The Gatestone Institute has published an analysis by Nils A. Haug entitled ‘Israel: Rule of Law in Crisis’, documenting the Israeli government’s refusal, for the first time, to implement a Supreme Court ruling and accusing the Court of judicial activism that exceeds its constitutional powers
On 8 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Nils A. Haug entitled ‘Israel: Rule of Law in Crisis’. The article documents the Netanyahu government’s refusal – for the first time in the history of the State of Israel – to implement a ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court, with the executive accusing the judiciary of activism that exceeds its constitutional prerogatives. The author traces the sequence of events in the wake of the 2023 judicial reform and the controversial appointment of the Attorney General, and highlights the effects of the crisis on the domestic legitimacy of the Israeli rule of law against the backdrop of a protracted regional war.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom - The Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism) reports on the letter sent on 3 July by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) to the regulator Ofcom, asking it to sanction platform X for hosting the documentary ‘Citizen Vigilante’, which was deemed ‘Islamophobic’; the article highlights that the MCB, like MEND and 5Pillars, relies on X itself to promote its own agenda
On 10 July, the Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism) published an analysis entitled ‘U.K. Muslim Organisations Call for Action Against X Whilst Using the Platform to Advance Islamism’. The article documents the letter sent on 3 July by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) to the UK media regulator Ofcom, demanding sanctions against platform X for broadcasting the documentary “Citizen Vigilante”, which it described as “Islamophobic”. The analysis highlights the dual strategy of the MCB, Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) and 5Pillars, organisations which call for restrictions on content critical of political Islam whilst using the very same platforms to propagate their own narrative. A memo from October 2025 by Conservative MP Claire Coutinho had already classified the MCB and MEND as “Islamist and anti-Semitic” organisations.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – NGO Monitor publishes ‘NGO Malpractice: MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and the Gaza ‘Genocide’ Campaign’, an analytical report on the campaign led by Médecins Sans Frontières denouncing a ‘genocide’ in Gaza and its impact on the credibility of a leading humanitarian organisation
NGO Monitor has published an analytical report for the week of 6 to 13 July entitled ‘NGO Malpractice: MSF (Doctors Without Borders) and the Gaza “Genocide” Campaign’. The report examines the advocacy campaign led by Médecins Sans Frontières regarding the characterisation of events in Gaza as “genocide”, recaps the organisation’s successive statements since autumn 2023, and documents the discrepancy between these statements and MSF’s historical doctrine of neutrality and operational impartiality. The analysis questions the humanitarian credibility of a leading organisation that has entered the political arena of the conflict.
Read in this edition → - Florida – On 1 July, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the implementation of Bill HB 1471, passed in April 2026, which authorises the state to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Florida branch, Muslim Brotherhood, the Antifa movement and around a hundred foreign organisations; On the same day, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Poverty Law Centre filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of CAIR and CAIR Florida, supplemented on 4 July by an application for an emergency restraining order
On 1 July, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the implementation of Bill HB 1471, passed in April 2026, which authorises the state to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its Florida branch, CAIR Florida, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Antifa movement, and around a hundred foreign organisations, including Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Sinaloa cartel. The designation bars these organisations from accessing public funding, state contracts and public sector employment, and provides for criminal penalties for providing material support. On the same day, 1 July, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida and the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) filed a federal complaint on behalf of CAIR and CAIR Florida, invoking the First and Fourth Amendments; a motion for an emergency injunctions was filed on 4 July, with the plaintiffs arguing that the organisations would be forced to cease their civil activities in Florida by 8 July at the latest. This development extends the county executive’s order of January 2026, which was suspended in March 2026 by Federal Judge Mark Walker.
Read in this edition → - The Middle East Forum has published ‘The US’s Overture to Ahmed Al-Sharaa: A Risky Bet on “Reformed” Islamism”, a critical analysis of the Trump administration’s diplomatic overtures towards Syria’s new head of state, Ahmed al-Sharaa, described as “the most sophisticated mutation of Salafi-jihadist ideology in the contemporary era”
On 10 July, the Middle East Forum (MEF Online) published an analysis entitled ‘The US’s Overture to Ahmed Al-Sharaa: A Risky Bet on “Reformed” Islamism’. The article examines the diplomatic rapprochement initiated by the Trump administration with Ahmed al-Sharaa, a Syrian head of state with links to the jihadist movement and a former senior figure in the Al-Nusra Front, now a partner of Washington. The author argues that Al-Sharaa’s trajectory, from the status of an international terrorist to that of a diplomatic partner, constitutes “the most sophisticated transformation of Salafi-jihadist ideology in the contemporary era ” and warns against a reformist interpretation of his public transformation.
Read in this edition → - FDD – Bradley Bowman has published an article in the New York Post entitled ‘Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 – and we must do the same’, calling for an increase in the US defence budget conditional on a European commitment to reach three per cent of GDP
On 11 July, Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Centre on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, published an opinion piece in the New York Post entitled ‘Europe is stepping up to fortify NATO 3.0 – and we must do the same’. The article, published the day after the Ankara summit, argues that Europe’s commitment to spend three per cent of GDP on defence by 2032 marks a genuine turning point and that Washington must fulfil its part of the bargain to bolster the credibility of collective deterrence against Moscow and Beijing.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone Institute – Majid Rafizadeh publishes ‘Iran Fears the Israel Factor’, a plea for Israel’s structural integration into any US negotiations or operations concerning the Iranian issue
On 11 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Majid Rafizadeh entitled ‘Iran Fears the Israel Factor’. The article argues for Israel to be systematically involved in the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, with the author arguing that Jerusalem is the United States’ most reliable partner in assessing Iranian threats and that, in the absence of Israeli pressure, the Islamic Republic is exploiting the negotiations to rebuild its ballistic capabilities and regional influence.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone Institute – Amir Taheri publishes ‘Iran: Management of Uncertainty’, an analysis of the sixty-day truce agreed between Donald Trump and Tehran and the internal deadlock within the Iranian regime over the resumption of negotiations
On 12 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Amir Taheri entitled ‘Iran: Management of Uncertainty’. The article examines the sixty-day truce agreed between Donald Trump and the Islamic Republic and documents the internal deadlock within the regime: reformists lack a social base, whilst conservatives refuse to negotiate for fear of losing the positions of power they have held since 2005. The author identifies this deadlock as the main factor contributing to uncertainty regarding the outcome of the military phase in June 2026.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone Institute – Ahmed Charai publishes ‘Iran Failed Trump’s Test’, an analysis arguing that the Islamic Republic failed to seize the window of opportunity offered by the White House following the strikes in June 2026
On 10 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Ahmed Charai entitled ‘Iran Failed Trump’s Test’. The author argues that the Islamic Republic failed to seize the window of restraint offered by the White House following the strikes in June 2026 and reverted “to its usual methods: missiles, drones, threats, blackmail and violence”. The article was published alongside analyses by Rafizadeh and Taheri on the same sequence of events.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone Institute – Pierre Rehov publishes ‘After Khamenei, Nothing Has Changed – But It Might’, a post-Khamenei analysis of Iranian doctrine and shifts in US strategy
On 12 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Pierre Rehov entitled ‘After Khamenei, Nothing Has Changed – But It Might’. The article, published several months after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February 2026, argues that “the doctrine, the gallows and the gamble on Western fatigue” remain unchanged on the Iranian side, but that Washington has altered the structure of its regional strategy. The analysis should be read alongside the articles by Taheri and Rafizadeh on the current truce.
Read in this edition → - Hauts-de-Seine – CNews reports that Prefect Alexandre Brugère (author of the May 2025 Fondapol study ‘Combating Islamism on the Ground’, with a foreword by Bruno Retailleau) has banned the community weekend organised by AMFAR – the Association of Muslims of Fontenay-aux-Roses – on 4 and 5 July, due to an incomplete administrative file and references deemed to promote communalism (“100 per cent women’s barbecue”, “area reserved for sisters”); the AMFAR prayer hall had already been administratively closed at the end of 2017 for glorifying terrorism
On 6 July, CNews published an article entitled ‘Hauts-de-Seine: an event organised by the Association of Muslims of Fontenay-aux-Roses banned on grounds of communitarianism’. The Prefect of Hauts-de-Seine, Alexandre Brugère – who also authored the May 2025 Fondapol study ‘Combating Islamism on the Ground’ – with a foreword by Senator Bruno Retailleau – issued an order banning the community weekend organised by AMFAR (Association of Muslims of Fontenay-aux-Roses / AMFAR Développement) on 4 and 5 July at the Blagis Stadium – featuring a football tournament, barbecue and family activities. The administrative grounds cited (late submission of the application, incomplete security arrangements) are coupled with an explicit political interpretation: several phrases appearing on the leaflets (“100 per cent women’s barbecue”, “area reserved for sisters”) are described as signs of “blatant communitarianism” contrary to republican principles. AMFAR disputes this assessment and argues that ‘all necessary measures’ had been taken. The association also runs a prayer room that was administratively closed for over a month at the end of 2017 on the grounds of “incitement to hatred or violence” and “glorification of terrorism”.
Read in this edition → - European Union – The JDD reports, following a public call by MEP Marion Maréchal, that the Bureau of the European Parliament is said to have decided on 7 July to exclude the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) from all Parliament activities, starting with the European Youth Event (EYE); the measure follows a letter signed by around thirty right-wing MEPs; FEMYSO states that it has received no official notification and is seeking clarification
On 9 July, *Le JDD* published an article entitled “European Parliament: an organisation with links to Muslim Brotherhood banned following Marion Maréchal’s warning”. The newspaper reported that, following a public call by MEP Marion Maréchal (ECR Group) posted on X on 8 July, the Bureau of the European Parliament had decided on 7 July to exclude the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO) from all Parliament activities, starting with the European Youth Event (EYE). The measure is said to have followed a letter signed by around thirty right-wing MEPs. The French government’s May 2025 report on ‘Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France’ is presented as the turning point that led to the hardening of the European stance. When contacted, FEMYSO stated that it had received no official notification from the Parliament’s Bureau and requested clarification “without delay”, recalling “three decades of transparent collaboration with the European institutions”. The dispute is ongoing; watch this space.
Read in this edition → - Italy – Middle East Forum: Dexter Van Zile reports on the findings of a report by the Israeli Ministry of the Diaspora identifying five organisations linked to Muslim Brotherhood in Italy – UCOII (Unione delle Comunità Islamiche d’Italia), GMI (Giovani Musulmani d’Italia), AMI (Associazione Musulmani Italiani), API (Associazione Palestinesi in Italia) and the Bayan Institute; the report echoes Italian parliamentary warnings regarding Qatari funding
On 8 July, the Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism) published an analysis by Dexter Van Zile entitled ‘Israeli Investigative Report Confirms Five Brotherhood Affiliates in Italy’. The article reports on the findings of a report by the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Anti-Semitism, which identifies five main organisations within the brotherist network in Italy: the UCOII (Unione delle Comunità Islamiche d’Italia), the GMI (Giovani Musulmani d’Italia), the AMI (Associazione Musulmani Italiani), the API (Associazione Palestinesi in Italia) and the Bayan Institute. The report corroborates and documents the warnings issued since 2024 by several Italian MPs regarding Qatari funding channels directed towards these organisations.
Read in this edition → - Germany – The Middle East Forum reports that Islamic Relief Deutschland has been expelled from a federation of German humanitarian NGOs following the belated publication of an audit by the Bundesrechnungshof revealing documented links with Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas
On 6 July, the Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism) published an analysis by Dexter Van Zile entitled ‘Islamic Relief Franchise Takes Another Hit, This Time in Germany’. The article reports on the expulsion of Islamic Relief Deutschland (IRD) – the German branch of the Islamic Relief Worldwide network – from a federation of German humanitarian NGOs. The decision follows the belated publication of an audit by the Bundesrechnungshof (Federal Audit Office) revealing documented links between IRD, identified Muslim Brotherhood executives and individuals close to Hamas. This analysis forms part of the sequence documented by CERIF regarding the successive restrictions imposed on the Islamic Relief network in the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and now Germany.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – NGO Monitor has published ‘Imported Influence’, a 129-page report mapping out 40 major anti-Israel mobilisation campaigns in the United Kingdom since 7 October 2023; eleven out of forty organisations are identified as having links to Iran, the IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah, the PFLP or Muslim Brotherhood; the report documents the funding channels and the involvement of CAGE and Palestine Action
On 8 July, NGO Monitor published ‘Imported Influence: Foreign Funding, Regulatory Black Holes and Extremist Connections of the Post-7 October UK Protest Infrastructure”, a 129-page report mapping out 40 major anti-Israel mobilisation campaigns in the United Kingdom since 7 October 2023. Eleven out of the forty organisations are identified as having documented links to Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hamas, Hezbollah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) or Muslim Brotherhood. The report documents funding channels, including via cryptocurrencies for CAGE and Palestine Action, and highlights the grey areas in UK charity regulation.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / NATO – Gatestone Institute: Amir Taheri analyses the NATO summit in Ankara as a domestic public relations exercise for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, coupled with a diplomatic signal to the Muslim world
On 5 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Amir Taheri entitled ‘NATO’s Photo-Op in Ankara’. The article offers a critical assessment of the NATO summit held in Ankara that same week: according to the author, the event primarily served as a public relations exercise for domestic consumption by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, coupled with a diplomatic signal to the Muslim world regarding Turkey’s status as a pivotal power. The article documents the discrepancy between the actual military significance of the decisions taken and their portrayal by the Turkish pro-government media.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Africa – The Jean-Jaurès Foundation has published a study on Turkey’s media presence in Africa via TRT Afrika, a channel established in 2023 and placed under the direct control of the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate; the study draws parallels with the Russian and Chinese models
On 8 July, the Jean-Jaurès Foundation published a study entitled ‘TRT Afrika and Turkey’s media presence in Africa’. The report analyses the development, since 2023, of the TRT Afrika channel, which is under the direct control of the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate and backed by Ankara’s diplomatic apparatus. The study draws parallels with the Russian (RT / Sputnik) and Chinese (CGTN Africa) media networks and highlights how the Turkish media apparatus contributes to the Erdoğan government’s regional influence on the African continent.
Read in this edition → - Middle East Forum - Sam Westrop investigates the activities in Texas of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and its leader Raja Muzaffar, calling for the designation “Muslim Brotherhood” initiated by Governor Greg Abbott in 2025 to be extended to federal level
On 3 July, the Middle East Forum (Islamist Watch) published an investigation by Sam Westrop entitled ‘How Texas Became the Hub of a Terror-Linked Kashmiri Outfit’s Activities’. The article documents the activities carried out in Texas by the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and its leader, Raja Muzaffar, and traces the organisational links with Kashmiri and Pakistani networks operating in the United States. The author calls for the designation “Muslim Brotherhood”, enacted in 2025 by the Republican Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, to be extended to the federal level.
Read in this edition → - FDD – Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer have published an analysis, to coincide with the NATO summit in Ankara, calling on the allies not to ‘whitewash’ Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s record on domestic repression, his continued harbouring of Hamas leaders and the laundering of Iranian funds documented between 2012 and 2016
On 6 July, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies (FDD) published an analysis by Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer entitled ‘Don’t Launder Erdogan’s Record at the NATO Summit’. The article, published to coincide with the NATO summit in Ankara, calls on the allies not to recharacterise or “whitewash” the Turkish president’s record, particularly in relation to three issues: the domestic crackdown on opponents, the continued harbouring of Hamas leaders in Istanbul, and the laundering of Iranian funds (approximately $20 billion) documented between 2012 and 2016. The analysis is published alongside Amir Taheri’s critical assessment of the summit for the Gatestone Institute.
Read in this edition → - FDD – Andrea Stricker documents Iran’s continued physical work at a key nuclear site, in breach of the agreement recently concluded with the United States
On 8 July, the Foundation for Defence of Democracies published an analysis by Andrea Stricker documenting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s continued physical work at a key nuclear site, in breach of the agreement recently concluded with the United States. The article draws on satellite imagery and diplomatic documents. It complements the week’s coverage of Iran’s stance, following the Gatestone Institute’s report four days earlier on the regime’s official statement that it has ‘no choice’ but to build a nuclear weapon.
Read in this edition → - The Gatestone Institute analyses Hamas’s announcement of the formal dissolution of its governing body in Gaza, whilst retaining its full military capabilities and territorial control
On 9 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Khaled Abu Toameh entitled ‘Hamas’s Latest Trick: Leaving Government, Keeping Weapons’. The article documents the announcement by Hamas of the formal dissolution of its governing body in Gaza, whilst retaining its full military capabilities, financial network and territorial control. The analysis was published against the backdrop of international negotiations on the future of the Strip and highlights the tactical nature of the move.
Read in this edition → - The Gatestone Institute has published an analysis suggesting that several jihadist groups are identifying Kashmir as their next theatre of operations, whilst the local Kashmiri population is moving away from the strategy of exploitation promoted by Pakistani networks
On 8 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis by Anna Mahjar-Barducci entitled ‘Jihadists Look to Kashmir, Kashmiris Look Away’. The article documents how several international jihadist movements, including leaders linked to Hamas and Pakistani networks, are now identifying Indian Kashmir as their next theatre of engagement and mobilisation, whilst the local Kashmiri population is distancing itself from these calls and rejecting the logic of exploitation promoted by Islamabad.
Read in this edition → - The Gatestone Institute documents the systematic persecution carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Christian communities: raids on house churches, arrests and administrative pressure on Assyrians and Armenians
On 7 July, the Gatestone Institute published an analysis entitled ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran’s War on Christians’. The article documents the systematic persecution carried out by the Iranian regime against the country’s Christian communities: raids on and closures of house churches, arrests of converts, and administrative pressure on the Assyrian and Armenian communities. The article forms part of a week-long series focusing on the regime’s religious and regional strategy.
Read in this edition → - GNET Research (International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, King’s College London): Ruben Celada analyses the public reactions within online communities linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State to the US and Israeli strikes against Iran, highlighting a divergence between opportunistic condemnation of ‘Western’ action and denunciation of the Iranian Shia regime
On 2 July, Ruben Celada published an analysis for GNET Research (Global Network on Extremism and Technology, hosted by the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, King’s College London) entitled ‘Online Jihadist Responses to the Iran War: Divergence, Propaganda, and Positioning’. The text documents the public reactions of online ecosystems linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State to US and Israeli strikes against Iran, and identifies a divergence between Sunni jihadist factions: opportunistic condemnation of ‘Western’ action on the one hand, and denunciation of the Iranian Shia regime on the other. The article sheds light on the ways in which these online communities reposition their narratives following a major geopolitical shock.
Read in this edition → - MEMRI has released a video clip of the Canadian preacher Abu Ibrahim claiming that “Muslim Generation Z is no longer ashamed of Sharia law” and presenting himself as the next generation tasked with “completing the work begun by the Muslim Brotherhood”
On 7 July, MEMRI released a video clip featuring the Canadian preacher Abu Ibrahim, under the title ‘Canadian Islamic Scholar Abu Ibrahim: Gen Z Muslims Are Not Shy About Shari’a Law… We Must Finish The Work Started By The Muslim Brotherhood’. The preacher asserts that the generation born after 2000 discusses the issues of Sharia and the caliphate publicly and without hesitation, and presents itself as the next generation tasked with “completing the work begun by the Muslim Brotherhood”. The excerpt illustrates the proselytising activities of a new generation linked to the brotherist movement within Canada.
Read in this edition → - Le Monde has published an article entitled ‘The intelligence watchdog’s cautious stance on the issue of Islamist entryism’, focusing on the position of the National Coordinator for Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism (CNRLT) in the debate sparked by Bruno Retailleau’s bill, which was passed by the Senate on 5 May 2026
On 25 June, *Le Monde* published an article in its Society section entitled ‘The intelligence watchdog shows restraint on the issue of Islamist entryism’. The article focuses on the position of the National Coordination for Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism (CNRLT) – an interministerial body attached to the Élysée Palace which coordinates all French intelligence services – regarding the issue of Islamist infiltration, whilst the bill tabled by Senator Bruno Retailleau and passed at first reading by the Senate on 5 May 2026 continues its passage through parliament. The bill forms part of the sequence of events documented by the CERIF Observatory since spring 2026, which has seen a succession of events: the open letter by fifty legal experts in *Le Figaro* (12 May), its adoption by the Senate (5 May) and Reaction No. 2026/18 by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler on behalf of CERIF (21 June).
Read in this edition → - Austria – *Die Presse* has published an opinion piece by Ferdinand Haberl, deputy director of the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI), entitled ‘Politischer Islam: Ein Freispruch ist keine Entwarnung’: Haberl distinguishes between the court ruling handed down in the context of Operation Luxor – which reflects a principle of the rule of law – from the scientific analysis of the phenomenon of political Islamism in Austria, and points out that an acquittal does not amount to a ‘all-clear’ regarding the structure of brotherism
On 23 June, *Die Presse* published an opinion piece by Ferdinand Haberl, deputy director of the *Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam* (DPI), an Austrian documentation centre on political Islam established by the government in 2020. Entitled ‘Politischer Islam: Ein Freispruch ist keine Entwarnung’ (‘Political Islam: an acquittal is not a all-clear’), the article responds to the acquittal, handed down in Vienna on 17 June, of an imam on trial as part of the ‘Operation Luxor’ investigation – a wide-ranging police operation launched in 2020 into political Islam in Austria, some of the charges in which were dropped on appeal. Haberl distinguishes between two levels: the judicial decision, which embodies a principle of the rule of law and applies the criminal law standards of intent and proof; and the scientific analysis of Islamist organisations, which operates within a different framework. He argues that an individual acquittal cannot be interpreted as a ‘all-clear’ regarding the structure of brotherism in Austria, and reiterates the need – separate from legal proceedings – for public documentation and prevention work. The opinion piece was republished on 25 June on the DPI’s official website.
Read in this edition → - Austria – To mark its thirtieth anniversary, and with the support of former National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP), the Muslimische Jugend Österreich (MJÖ) is launching a national educational campaign entitled ‘Gemeinsam gegen den politischen Islam’: training for volunteer youth leaders, academic publications, and resources to counter the “TikTok preachers” who spread anti-democratic and misogynistic rhetoric
On 25 June, the Muslimische Jugend Österreich (MJÖ), Austria’s leading Muslim youth organisation, announced the official launch of a national educational campaign entitled ‘Gemeinsam gegen den politischen Islam’ (‘Together against political Islam’). The initiative, unveiled to mark the organisation’s 30th anniversary, has the public support of Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP), former President of the National Council and former Minister of the Interior, who is particularly committed to tackling anti-Semitism and religious extremism. The programme comprises three components: training for volunteer youth leaders; the publication of theological and political analyses; and the provision of argumentation tools to enable teenagers to counter extremist preachers (“TikTok preachers”) who recruit via social media. The MJÖ explicitly targets “anti-democratic and misogynistic” content disseminated by algorithms. A formal press conference was held in Vienna on 29 June at the APA press centre. The initiative was covered by ORF Religion, Heute.at and oe24.
Read in this edition → - Denmark – Morten Bødskov (Social Democrats), Minister for Immigration and Integration, has relaunched the legal inquiry into the possibility of banning or restricting the call to prayer (bønnekald) in public spaces in Denmark; the third Social Democrat minister to take this step since 2020, he justifies the initiative by citing the need to curb what he describes as the “Islamisation” of the country
On 24 June, the Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration, Morten Bødskov (Social Democrats) announced that he was reopening the legal inquiry into the possibility of banning or restricting the call to prayer (bønnekald) in public spaces in Denmark, a report carried by the Ritzau news agency and reprinted by Kristeligt Dagblad. This is the third Social Democratic minister to take this step since 2020, after previous work – including an inquiry conducted by his predecessor Rasmus Stoklund involving ninety-eight local authorities (of which seventy-eight responded, with three reporting complaints: Copenhagen, Brøndby and Odense) – had been interrupted by the election timetable. Bødskov justified the initiative by citing the need to curb what he described as the ‘Islamisation’ of the country and stated that the call to prayer had ‘no place’ in Denmark. The move was reported in English by *The Copenhagen Post* on the same day and was the subject of editorial commentary in the days that followed.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez reports on the testimony of ISIS operative Ömer Deniz Dündar, who is implicated in the 2015 Ankara railway station bombing (more than 100 dead), according to whom the organisation was reportedly in “negotiations” with the Turkish authorities at the time of the attack; Dündar also mentions assassination plots targeting foreign public figures, including the American pastor Andrew Brunson
On 24 June, Levent Kenez published an analysis in Nordic Monitor of the court testimony given by Ömer Deniz Dündar, a senior Islamic State operative implicated in the 2015 Ankara railway station bombing (which left more than a hundred people dead). According to Dündar, the attack was carried out without a formal claim of responsibility from the organisation’s leadership because the latter was “pursuing what he described as negotiations with the Turkish authorities” at the time of the incident. The testimony also refers to assassination plots targeting public figures, including the American pastor Andrew Brunson, the monitoring of whom by Islamic State is said to have “run parallel to a separate conspiracy led by criminal networks linked to the state”. The Turkish authorities categorically reject these allegations of contact between state agencies and Islamic State. The investigation follows on from Nordic Monitor’s 16 June report on Turkey’s role as a transit corridor for foreign Islamic State fighters via Gaziantep (covered in S27).
Read in this edition → - Turkey – Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reports on allegations made by former senior police chief Mustafa Okumuş that journalist Ruşen Çakır, head of the media company Medyascope, was allegedly recruited as an agent by the Turkish intelligence service (MIT); Okumuş claims to have observed Çakır meeting on two occasions with the high-ranking MIT officer Sebahattin Asal
On 29 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigative report for Nordic Monitor on the allegations made by Mustafa Okumuş, a former senior police officer, against Ruşen Çakır, head of the media company Medyascope and a well-known media figure in Turkey. Okumuş claims to have observed Çakır meeting on two occasions with Sebahattin Asal, a high-ranking officer in the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT), under circumstances he considers incompatible with ordinary journalistic contact, suggesting instead an interaction between an agent and his informant under supervision. The article documents several editorial stances taken by Çakır in defence of radical Islamist groups, including Hezbollah, which are aligned with the positions of the Erdoğan government. The investigation forms part of the Nordic Monitor series documenting the MIT’s influence operations within the Turkish and international media landscape.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone Institute: Khaled Abu Toameh documents the role of Erdoğan’s Turkey as an operational and logistical ‘safe haven’ for Hamas, naming specific Hamas leaders based in Istanbul (including Zaher Jabarin, head of operations for the West Bank) as well as an underground currency exchange network that has channelled “hundreds of millions of dollars” from Iran to the movement
On 25 June, Khaled Abu Toameh published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘Turkey: Hamas’s Safe Haven and the West’s Dangerous Blind Spot’. The author argues that Turkey under Erdoğan is home to a structured operational base for Hamas, which serves as both a political refuge and a logistical hub. According to Israeli security sources cited in the article, Hamas’s headquarters for the West Bank operates from Istanbul under the leadership of Zaher Jabarin, and several senior figures within the movement – including Ayman Sharawna, Mohammed Mallah, Majed Jaaba, Walid Abu Nassar and Salam Yaish – have also found refuge in Turkey. The article documents the use of the Turkish financial system – banking institutions, currency exchange bureaux and companies established after 2011 – for massive transfers of Iranian funds: a ‘secret money-exchange network’ is said to have channelled ‘hundreds of millions of dollars’ from Iran to Hamas. Abu Toameh concludes that Turkey’s inclusion in the US ‘Board of Peace’ initiative for Gaza is incompatible with these findings, and that Ankara must be regarded as an active sponsor of the movement rather than a neutral mediator.
Read in this edition → - JNS – At the JNS International Policy Summit held at the Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem, the Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Anti-Semitism, Amichai Chikli (Likud), identified the “new geopolitical axis” brotherist as comprising Erdoğan’s Turkey, al-Sharaa’s Syria and Qatar – described as a “PR state of the Muslim Brotherhood ”, and deemed this bloc “far more worrying than Iran”, which is now weakened
On 23 June, the Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs and the Fight against Anti-Semitism, Amichai Chikli (Likud), spoke at the second JNS International Policy Summit held at the Waldorf Astoria in Jerusalem. According to the report published the same day by JNS, written by David Isaac, the minister identified “the new geopolitical axis” following Iran’s weakening: a predominantly brotherist bloc comprising Erdoğan’s Turkey, al-Sharaa’s Syria and Qatar. He describes Qatar as a “PR state for the Muslim Brotherhood” through the role of Al Jazeera, and accuses Turkish President Erdoğan of pursuing a neo-Ottoman vision of regional expansion. Chikli considers this bloc “far more worrying than Iran”, which is now weakened. At the same time, the minister calls for security personnel in Jewish communities abroad to be armed, citing the recent attacks in Montreal and at Bondi Beach, and criticises the responses of the Canadian and Australian governments, which he deems insufficient in the face of rising anti-Semitism.
Read in this edition → - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reports on the federal indictment, in the Eastern District of Michigan, of Ahmet Kerem Korkaya – a former medical student at the University of Michigan whose father, Hasan Körkaya, has links to Turkish academic institutions affiliated with the Erdoğan government – and seven co-defendants, for a plot to make threats, carry out poisonings and set fires targeting pro-Israeli organisations between 2024 and 2026
On 25 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into the federal indictment, in the Eastern District of Michigan, of Ahmet Kerem Korkaya, a naturalised US citizen born in Turkey and a former medical student at the University of Michigan who had been involved in the activities of the Muslim Students Association at Georgia Tech. His father, Hasan Körkaya, is an oncology researcher at the Karmanos Cancer Institute, with professional links to Turkish universities affiliated with the Erdoğan government. Korkaya is being prosecuted alongside seven co-defendants (Zainab Aliasgar Hakim, Amatullah Aliasgar Hakim, Paige Elizabeth Feyock, Jonathan Hongru Zou, Alexander Matthew Sepulveda, Mariam Muhammed Odeh, Colin Hunter Weger) on charges of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate and foreign commerce. Encrypted communications included in the case file refer to the poisoning of victims and the arson of property targeting pro-Israeli institutions and figures between 2024 and 2026. The investigation sheds light on the North American dimension of intimidation networks linked to the Turkish movement.
Read in this edition → - CERIF has published a response by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler to the open letter from fifty legal experts published in *Le Figaro* on 12 May 2026 opposing the Retailleau bill; she considers the lawyers’ warning to be ‘well-founded’ but recommends four amendments to make the bill effective: explicitly naming ‘Islamist infiltration’ as a target, subjecting the freezing of assets to prior judicial review, precisely defining the behaviours targeted, and capping the duration of administrative measures
On 21 June, the European Centre for Research and Information on Brotherism (CERIF) published ‘Reaction’ No. 2026/18, written by its chair, Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, a research director at the CNRS, entitled ‘The Law on Islamist Entrism: A Well-Founded Warning’. The text responds to an opinion piece published on 12 May 2026 in *Le Figaro* by more than fifty legal experts, who warned of the risks that the draft law aimed at combating Islamist infiltration – tabled by Senator Bruno Retailleau and passed at first reading by the Senate on 5 May 2026 – would pose to civil liberties. Article 6 provides, in particular, for the freezing of the assets of individuals who ‘incite’ or ‘contribute to’ discrimination, hatred or violence, by ministerial decision and without a prior criminal conviction; legal experts viewed this as a ‘modern-day lettre de cachet’ liable to be misused against organisations across a wide range of sectors. Bergeaud-Blackler considers the warning to be ‘well-founded’ but maintains that the text’s central flaw is editorial in nature and makes four recommendations: to expressly name ‘Islamist entryism’ as the subject of the law; to require judicial review prior to the freezing of assets; to define precisely the types of behaviour targeted; and to set a maximum duration for administrative measures. According to the author, these amendments would simultaneously protect civil liberties and enhance the effectiveness of the framework against legalistic Islamism.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Spectator: Dean Godson, director of Policy Exchange, criticises the contrast between the UK’s approach to non-violent Islamism – treated as an issue outside the realm of security – and that of France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, which publish public reports or actively monitor brotherist networks
On 17 June, *The Spectator* published an article by Dean Godson, director of the think tank Policy Exchange, entitled ‘Islamism, the Muslim Brotherhood and the limits of Labour’s resolve’. The author argues that the British security apparatus has regarded “non-violent Islamism as not its problem”, focusing its efforts on violent groups such as al-Qaeda and IS whilst neglecting the underlying ideological threat. He points out that MI5 publicly mentions Daesh and al-Qaeda but refrains from referring to Muslim Brotherhood, and that some British officials view non-violent Islamists as an “Islamic Sinn Féin” supposedly designed to moderate violent elements. Godson notes that the 2025 French report on Muslim Brotherhood had identified two British organisations – the Muslim Association of Britain and the Islamic Forum of Europe – and points out that Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden publish reports or actively monitor brotherist, whilst Germany has just raised the alarm about the infiltration of political organisations by Muslim Brotherhood and France has banned a brotherist meeting in Nantes. The author recommends the actual publication of the ‘State of Extremism’ report promised by the government, the allocation of dedicated resources to MI5, the resumption of the publication of lists of banned preachers, and the creation of ‘fusion centres’ based on the Danish model.
Read in this edition → - Belgium – Gatestone: Grégoire Canlorbe publishes the second part of his interview with Joël Rubinfeld, founding president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, which documents the 1,000 per cent rise in anti-Semitic incidents recorded by Unia in the three months following 7 October 2023, the rise in the annual number of Belgian Jews leaving the country (from 60 to over 300 a year since 2000) and the stance taken by eight out of twelve Belgian political parties, which accuse Israel of genocide
On 19 June, the Gatestone Institute published the second part of an interview by Grégoire Canlorbe with Joël Rubinfeld, founding president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism and the Jewish Coalition for Kurdistan, and former president of the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organisations in Belgium. Rubinfeld documents the 1,000 per cent rise in anti-Semitic incidents recorded by Unia in the three months following 7 October 2023, and the rise in the annual number of Belgian Jews leaving the country, which has risen from around sixty a year before 2000 to an average of over three hundred today, in line with episodes of conflict in the Middle East. He highlights several Belgian administrative decisions perceived as discriminatory: the refusal of consular services to Jewish Belgian citizens residing in the West Bank, and the ban on aircraft carrying military equipment bound for Israel flying over Belgian airspace. Finally, he notes that eight out of twelve Belgian political parties accuse Israel of genocide. The interview describes anti-Semitism as a ‘virus’ that ‘adapts to its environment’ and fuels the rhetoric of both a section of the left and the right.
Read in this edition → - Austria – The Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI) has published a report detailing its participation in the second CERIF symposium, held on 10 June 2026 in Saint-Ouen: its deputy director, Ferdinand Haberl, spoke on the methods of action employed by Muslim Brotherhood (“activities within civil society structures” rather than open confrontation), whilst its head of research, Alexander Weissenburger, spoke about the Salafist organisation IMAN, which is active in the German-speaking world
On 18 June, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI) – an Austrian centre for documentation on political Islam established by the government in 2020 – published a report detailing its participation in the second symposium of the European Centre for Research and Information on Brotherism (CERIF) held on 10 June 2026 in Saint-Ouen, near Paris, on the theme ‘Islamism in Europe’. Deputy Director Ferdinand Haberl spoke on the topic ‘Who are the Muslim Brotherhood and how do they operate? ’, emphasising that brotherist influence is exerted ‘through activities within civil society structures’ rather than through open confrontation, and examining the democratic counter-strategies that could be employed against legalist Islamism. Research Officer Alexander Weissenburger presented an analysis of the Salafist organisation IMAN, which is active in German-speaking regions, emphasising that, despite their ideological differences, the various Islamist movements share “similar socio-political objectives” and may cooperate towards a more Islamised society. On the same day, the DPI reported on a speech given by its director, Lisa Fellhofer, to the Salzburg State Parliament on the need for action on integration policy in relation to political Islam.
Read in this edition → - Germany – Markus Lanz (ZDF) is devoting a programme to the debate on political Islamism and infiltration brotherist of political parties (SPD, the Greens, Die Linke) with Lamya Kaddor (the Greens/Bundestag), Sascha Adamek (FOCUS Online), Güner Balci (integration, Berlin-Neukölln) and the journalist Khola Maryam Hübsch; the discussion continues in the Springer press
On 16 June at 10.45 pm, the programme “Markus Lanz ’ (ZDF) will feature a debate on political Islamism in Germany, following on directly from the warning issued by Sinan Selen (BfV) to the Bundestag on 5 June (see S25) and the DEVI brochure presented by AK Polis in S24. Sascha Adamek, an investigative journalist at FOCUS Online previously highlighted in this round-up for his investigations into Neukölln, denounced a “huge problem” of infiltration by the Muslim Brotherhood into political parties, particularly in Berlin under the former SPD administration. Lamya Kaddor, religious spokesperson for the Greens’ parliamentary group in the Bundestag, criticises the federal government’s contradictory statements, having claimed a month earlier that there had been “no significant increase” in threats. Güner Balci, head of integration in Berlin-Neukölln, denounces an “ultra-reactionary” form of Islam that regards gender segregation as “Stone Age”. The publicist Khola Maryam Hübsch has a tense exchange with Lanz on the headscarf and homosexuality, which she describes as “not pleasing to God”. The controversy continued in the Springer press: *Bild* published an article attributing to a journalist the statement “Muslims tell me that Germany must lose”, and Hübsch shortly afterwards obtains an einstweilige Verfügung (interim injunction) against Bild, which had previously labelled her an “Islamist” and an “enemy of the Constitution” following an appearance on “hart aber fair”.
Read in this edition → - Germany – Bayerischer Rundfunk (ARD) has broadcast a report entitled ‘Bedeckte Mode boomt’, presenting Islamic ‘modest fashion’ as a mainstream trend; Bavaria’s Deputy Minister-President Hubert Aiwanger (Freie Wähler) calls on politicians to “show Islamism the red card”
In mid-June, the regional public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (ARD) aired a feature entitled ‘Bedeckte Mode boomt’ (‘Modest Fashion is booming’), presenting ‘modest fashion’ – Islamic-inspired clothing – as a mainstream trend, based on a shop in Nuremberg specialising in Islamic fashion. The report was widely criticised for presenting a phenomenon rooted in religious prescription as merely a modern style of dress, without any critical contextualisation. The most talked-about segment was the one in which the shop owner’s husband compared women to mobile phones protected by a case. Hubert Aiwanger, Deputy Minister-President of Bavaria (Freie Wähler), responded by calling on politicians to ‘show Islamism the red card’ (rote Karte). The report forms part of CERIF’s long-standing research into religious consumption as a vehicle for ‘soft Islamisation’ (see the book *Le marché halal* by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler).
Read in this edition → - Germany – The *Berliner Zeitung* condemns the ‘business model’ (Geschäftsmodell) behind criticism of Islam and asks: ‘Is a serious debate really what is wanted?’; a notable counterpoint to the Lanz/Bild/BR segment
In the same series, the *Berliner Zeitung* published an opinion piece criticising the German ‘Islam-critical’ media ecosystem, under the headline ‘Geschäftsmodell Islamkritik: Ist eine ernsthafte Diskussion überhaupt gewollt?’. The article examines the economic and political model of the media ‘experts’ consulted on the issue of Islam, and argues that the sensationalist coverage by Bild or Lanz undermines a substantive debate. The piece documents the polarisation of the German media on the subject: Bild (Axel Springer Group) offering direct criticism of Muslim commentators on the one hand, and the Berliner Zeitung criticising the ‘business’ of Islam criticism on the other. The CERIF Observatory presents both sides in line with its editorial policy.
Read in this edition → - European Union / Turkey – Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez analyses the European Parliament’s 2025 report, which calls for consideration of a ban on organisations affiliated with the Grey Wolves (Ülkü Ocakları) on European soil, an end to support for organisations linked to Muslim Brotherhood, and a halt to Ankara’s political influence campaigns within the Turkish diaspora in Europe
On 19 June, Levent Kenez published an analysis for Nordic Monitor of the European Parliament’s 2025 report on Turkey, which condemns the Turkish government’s transnational repressive activities beyond its borders – intimidation, forced returns, the misuse of international cooperation mechanisms, allegations of abuse of Interpol channels to locate and prosecute political opponents residing in the EU, the targeting of supporters of the Gülen movement, and the exploitation of the Anadolu Agency, described as a ‘propaganda organ’ that undermines social cohesion in Member States. The report sets out three operational demands: to consider banning organisations affiliated with the Grey Wolves (Ülkü Ocakları), an ultra-nationalist movement linked to the MHP party and active in France, Austria and Germany; to cease all support for organisations linked to Muslim Brotherhood; and to put an end to Ankara’s political influence campaigns targeting Turkish diasporas in Europe.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt documents, based on an FBI interview included in US court proceedings, Turkey’s role as a transit corridor for foreign fighters who joined Islamic State in Syria via Gaziantep, and points out that the investigations by Turkish prosecutors (2014–2016), which implicated the intelligence services (MIT), were halted under the Erdogan government
On 16 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor based on US court documents and an FBI interview submitted as part of federal criminal proceedings in the United States. The main case concerns Emraan Ali, a 59-year-old national of Trinidad and Tobago, who pleaded guilty to the charge of providing material support for terrorism after travelling via Turkey in March 2015 to join, with his wife and six children, areas controlled by Islamic State in Syria. The documents describe a structured vetting system based on co-optation (“someone must say they know [you] and recommend [you]”), logistical coordination via Gaziantep, financial transfers via Western Union and informal money transfer services (hawala). The investigation identifies İlhami Balı (“Abu Bakr”) as the organisation’s border commander responsible for coordinating the movements of foreign recruits, and indicates, based on internal Turkish documents, that he received hospital treatment in July 2016 despite active arrest warrants. Investigations launched by Turkish prosecutors between 2014 and 2016 into the involvement of the intelligence services (MIT) were halted by the Erdogan government, with the investigators subsequently being dismissed, prosecuted or imprisoned.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone: Khaled Abu Toameh argues that the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Trump administration and Iran has already emboldened Hamas, which is openly calling for an escalation of attacks against Israel and for the centre of its jihad to be shifted from Gaza to the West Bank, where 243 acts of ‘resistance’ were recorded in May 2026 by media outlets affiliated with the movement
On 18 June, Khaled Abu Toameh published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘Trump’s Iran “Deal” Has Already Emboldened Hamas’. The author argues that the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Trump administration and Iran has already led Hamas to step up its calls for escalation against Israel and to announce that it is shifting the focus of its jihad from Gaza to the West Bank. The movement’s military spokesman, Abu Obeida, praised recent shootings and called on Palestinians to “step up the attacks”. According to figures compiled by Hamas-affiliated media, 243 acts of ‘resistance’ – shootings, vehicle-ramming attacks and armed clashes – were recorded in the month of May 2026 alone. The author believes the agreement has three flaws: it does not address Iranian proxy forces (Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis); it is interpreted by terrorist organisations as a sign of weakness; and the expected lifting of sanctions will free up funds that will finance proxy terrorism. He points out that “international agreements and diplomatic arrangements do not persuade terrorist organisations” to abandon their jihadist ideology.
Read in this edition → - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reports on the opposition of more than 1,100 victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism to the deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) approved on 17 June 2026 by Federal Judge Richard M. Berman in favour of the Turkish state-owned bank Halkbank, which has avoided any fine, admission of guilt or compensation, with the Department of Justice citing ‘diplomatic and national security considerations’ linked to the negotiations on Gaza
On 22 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor documenting the opposition of more than 1,100 victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorist attacks – including survivors of the 1983 Beirut bombing (in which 241 US military personnel were killed) -to the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) signed on 6 March 2026 and approved on 17 June 2026 by Federal Judge Richard M. Berman in favour of the Turkish state-owned bank Halkbank. The agreement allows Halkbank to avoid any fines, any admission of guilt and any compensation for the victims, whose outstanding judgments against Iran exceed $10 billion. The Trump administration’s Department of Justice cites “diplomatic and national security considerations” linked to US-Turkish negotiations concerning the Gaza Strip, the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire with Hamas. The victims believe that the negotiations have “turned a criminal prosecution into a tool for diplomatic bargaining”. The investigation notes that Halkbank is accused of helping to transfer around $20 billion on behalf of Iran between 2012 and 2016, as part of a sanctions-evasion scheme to which President Erdogan is said to have personally consented.
Read in this edition → - The Strasbourg District Court has acquitted Florence Bergeaud-Blackler (CNRS, Chair of CERIF) and dismissed the defamation case brought by PhD student Iman El Feki, on the grounds that the passages in question had not been clearly identified
On 12 June, *Le JDD* reported, in an article by Victor Lefebvre, that the Strasbourg District Court had ruled on 11 June 2026 that the defamation proceedings brought against Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, an anthropologist, research director at the CNRS and president of CERIF, by Iman El Feki, a PhD student in sociology at the University of Strasbourg, were null and void. The complaint concerned a post published on X on 4 March 2025 in which the researcher wrote: “The ideology brotherist has gradually taken hold in universities over the last thirty years. ” The court ruled the complaint invalid on the grounds of a breach of Article 50 of the Law of 29 July 1881 on freedom of the press, finding that the remarks in question had not been identified with sufficient precision. The President of the University of Strasbourg, Frédérique Berrod, had undertaken in a letter dated 22 May 2025 to cover the doctoral student’s legal costs of 1,800 euros. The researcher’s lawyers, Mr Louis Cailliez and Ms Vinciane de Sigy, stated: “The Court followed the only guide that matters: the law.”
Read in this edition → - Le Figaro: Etienne Jacob reports on the second European Centre for Research and Information on Brotherism (CERIF), held in Saint-Ouen, where eleven researchers – including Pierre Vermeren, Fabrice Balanche and Lorenzo Vidino – sounded the alarm about the rise of brotherism and Salafism in France and Europe; Florence Bergeaud-Blackler describes an “integralist vision” that is spreading worldwide
On 10 June, *Le Figaro* published an article by Etienne Jacob reporting on the second symposium of the European Centre for Research and Information on Brotherism (CERIF), held in Saint-Ouen, which brought together eleven researchers to discuss the threat that Islamist entryism poses to Western democracies. The president of CERIF, anthropologist Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, warned of a “fundamentalist vision” promoted by Muslim Brotherhood and Salafists that is spreading globally, illustrated in particular by the proliferation of halal practices across all economic sectors. Historian Pierre Vermeren emphasises that, for the Muslim Brotherhood, “the secular school system must be fought” and deplores the attacks on secularism in schools. Geographer Fabrice Balanche condemns the influence of radical movements in universities, arguing that “the aim of Islamo-leftists is to prevent any criticism of Islam”. Other contributors include Sergio Altuna, Ferdinand Haberl, Alexander Weissenburger and Lorenzo Vidino (George Washington University). The article reflects the observation of a simultaneous rise in brotherism and Salafism across the country.
Read in this edition → - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reveals, backed by a leaked document, a surveillance operation by the Turkish intelligence services in Strasbourg during a demonstration on 25 June 2025 outside the Council of Europe, the intelligence gathered from which was subsequently passed on to the police in Ankara and then submitted to a Turkish court against an opponent living in exile in Germany
On 11 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigative report for Nordic Monitor based on an internal Turkish government document detailing a surveillance operation carried out by the Turkish security services in Strasbourg on 25 June 2025, during a peaceful demonstration organised by the Peaceful Actions Platform, which brought together around 5,000 participants – MEPs, PACE members, academics and activists – to demand the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights’ judgments against Turkey. The intelligence reports compiled on the participants were forwarded to the Ankara police headquarters on 22 July 2025, and subsequently submitted to a court in Ankara by Chief Constable Engin Aydın in May 2026 in relation to a critic of the regime residing in Germany after having been granted political asylum there. Bozkurt places this case within a documented pattern of surveillance operations carried out by the Turkish security services in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Spectator: Andrew Gilligan (Policy Exchange) documents the declining relevance of the Muslim Council of Britain, whose actual representativeness relies on the influence of the UK Islamic Mission (an affiliate of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami) and the Islamic Forum of Europe (an affiliate of the Bangladeshi Jamaat-e-Islami)
On 13 June, *The Spectator* published a new article by Andrew Gilligan, a senior fellow at Policy Exchange, which documents the institutional decline of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). Secretary-General Wajid Akhter acknowledges his inability to organise the body, and no candidates have come forward to succeed him. The deadline for registration for the annual general meeting was extended due to a lack of participants; in 2021, only 167 votes were recorded. Although the MCB claims to have over 500 member organisations, Gilligan highlights a high degree of overlap, with the majority belonging to two dominant bodies: the UK Islamic Mission (29 affiliates), described as a British branch of the Pakistani Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Islamic Forum of Europe (15 affiliates), an outpost of the Bangladeshi branch of the same movement – two organisations ideologically linked to Muslim Brotherhood. The article follows on from the same author’s investigation into the National Association of Muslim Police, published the previous week (see S25).
Read in this edition → - Germany – Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism): Jules Gomes reports on the warnings issued by Sinan Selen, President of the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV, domestic intelligence agency), regarding the targeted influence exerted by Islamist groups – and in particular Muslim Brotherhood - on German state and political structures, with the aim of transforming the state and society
On 14 June, the Middle East Forum published, via its Focus on Western Islamism platform and penned by Jules Gomes, an article devoted to the warnings of Sinan Selen, 54, who has been president of the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), Germany’s domestic intelligence service, since 2025. According to Selen, “Islamist groups in general, and Muslim Brotherhood in particular, are exerting a targeted influence on state and political structures in Germany with a view to transforming the state and society”. He describes the ultimate goal of these infiltration attempts as “the establishment of an Islamic society” and believes that “parties on the left of the political spectrum are more open and more exposed to contact with and infiltration by Islamists”.
Read in this edition → - Austria – Sandra Fellhofer, director of the Documentation Centre on Political Islam (DPI), has spoken to *Die Presse* about the ÖIF integration fund and on *Ö1* to draw a distinction between Islam and Islamism, and to warn about the online radicalisation of young women and cross-border funding of Hezbollah in Europe
On 8 June, the Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam (DPI), an Austrian centre for documentation on political Islam established by the government in 2020, published a statement regarding recent media appearances by its director, Sandra Fellhofer, in Die Presse, on the ÖIF integration fund’s website and on the public radio station Ö1. In it, Fellhofer highlights the distinction between Islam as a religion and Islamist or extremist ideologies, draws attention to religious trends among young Viennese people, integration issues and forced marriages, and stresses the urgent need for preventive work in schools to strengthen democratic values. The statement also refers to the study published by the DPI in April 2026 on Hezbollah’s funding networks in Europe, and warns of the polarisation fuelled by extremist religious ideologies, particularly on social media targeting young women.
Read in this edition → - Sweden – ECLJ: Youssef Ayed analyses the Swedish government’s decision to phase out the term ‘Islamophobia’ in European and UN forums, with Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard describing the concept as ‘problematic’ because it confuses legitimate criticism of a religion with discrimination; the author sees this as indicative of a European and UN institutional framework that excessively shields Islam from criticism
On 1 May, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) published an analysis by Youssef Ayed on the Swedish government’s decision to phase out the use of the term ‘Islamophobia’ in European and UN forums. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard believes that “the concept of Islamophobia is problematic”: the suffix “-phobia” refers to irrational individual fears rather than concrete acts of discrimination, and the term risks confusing legitimate criticism of a religion with hatred or discrimination directed at people. Stockholm now favours the terms “anti-Muslim racism” or “anti-Muslim hatred”. The ECLJ places this decision within a broader critique of the institutional architecture of the EU and the UN, which it considers to be concerned with protecting Islam from all criticism whilst remaining, according to the author, silent on the persecution of Christians (estimated to affect 380 million people by 2025), for which no comparable protection mechanism exists.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reveals the existence of a civilian mobilisation network with paramilitary elements, led by Orhan Uzuner, the father-in-law of Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, and established since 2016 with the support of state agencies, AKP-run municipalities and pro-government civic organisations
On 15 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into a pro-government civil mobilisation network operating on a national scale, which the author describes as a de facto paramilitary structure. The network is led by Orhan Uzuner, the father-in-law of Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, the Turkish president’s youngest son, and has been built up since the attempted coup of 15 July 2016 with the support of state agencies, AKP-controlled municipalities and pro-government civic organisations. The investigation details a combination of nationwide recruitment, close coordination with public institutions, a secure communications infrastructure and suspected access to firearms, fuelling the debate over the organisation’s true nature: a voluntary civic movement or a political loyalty force designed to protect the regime in times of crisis. The report forms part of Nordic Monitor’s documentation on paramilitary structures associated with the regime, notably the company SADAT.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Cyprus – Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez analyses Ankara’s reactions to the Franco-Cypriot defence cooperation agreement signed on 8 June 2026, the diplomatic rapprochement between Cyprus and Central Asia (Kazakhstan) and the deepening of the Israel-Greece-Cyprus axis, against a backdrop where the 2026 Turkish budget allocates nearly 50% of aid to Northern Cyprus to defence spending
On 12 June, Levent Kenez published an analysis for Nordic Monitor on the new diplomatic challenges facing Ankara over the Cyprus issue. President Erdogan warned that any attempt to “infringe upon Turkish and Turkish Cypriot rights” would receive a “very clear and very firm response”. The warning comes as France and Cyprus signed a defence cooperation agreement on 8 June 2026 extending military coordination and joint exercises – an agreement to which the Turkish Ministry of Defence publicly objected on 11 June. At the same time, Cyprus has strengthened its diplomatic ties with Central Asia, notably with Kazakhstan, whilst Israel, Greece and Cyprus are deepening their strategic partnerships in the fields of defence and energy. The 2026 budget for Turkish aid to Northern Cyprus allocates nearly 50 per cent of its expenditure to the military sector, reflecting the importance of security in the island’s strategic positioning. This development forms part of the sequence of events initiated by the Turkish-Northern Cypriot economic agreement of April 2026 and the report by the Turkish National Intelligence Academy analysed by Kenez in S25.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone: Following the Cairo talks led by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, Khaled Abu Toameh analyses Hamas’s refusal to disarm and its bargaining strategy, which involves making the handover of weapons conditional on political and security guarantees for its leaders
On 11 June, Khaled Abu Toameh published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘The Ongoing Charade of Hamas Disarmament’. The author argues that Hamas is not disarming but bargaining, making any handover of weapons conditional on political and security guarantees for its leaders. According to him, the negotiations taking place in Cairo, mediated by Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, are allowing Hamas to buy time: “terrorist organisations do not voluntarily negotiate their own demise” and “any agreement that allows Hamas to survive politically whilst retaining its influence merely postpones the next war”. Qatar and Turkey, the movement’s long-standing political and financial backers, are unable to exert credible pressure. The author believes that the Trump administration’s quest for stability is interpreted by Tehran and its proxies as a sign of weakness.
Read in this edition → - Gatestone: Robert Williams documents the growing military cooperation between the Trump administration and Qatar (anti-drone systems, remotely piloted aircraft), recalls the assessment of a former Mossad official who claimed that “Qatar is the world’s leading financier of terrorism, even more so than Iran”, and the estimate that Qatari donations to US academic institutions amount to $400 billion
On 10 June, Robert Williams published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘Qatar: Trump Administration Making States that Sponsor Terrorism Great Again’. The author documents Qatar’s military build-up, facilitated by the Trump administration through the delivery of anti-drone systems and unmanned aerial vehicles, which is transforming the Qatari air fleet – negligible in 2014 – into “one of the most powerful in the Middle East”. He cites the assessment by former Mossad chief Udi Levy (YNet, April 2024), who stated that “Qatar is the world’s leading financier of terrorism, even more so than Iran”, as well as the sometimes-contested estimate that Qatari donations to US academic institutions total over 400 billion dollars. Williams describes Doha as a “genocidal anti-Israeli propaganda machine” and expresses concern about the longer-term security implications.
Read in this edition → - GW Program on Extremism (The Threat): Jeffrey Parsons documents New Jersey congressional candidate Adam Hamawy’s medical volunteer work with the Benevolence International Fund (BIF) in Bosnia in the 1990s, an organisation subsequently designated a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’ by the US Treasury for its links to al-Qaeda
On 8 June, Jeffrey Parsons published a fact sheet on New Jersey congressional candidate Adam Hamawy for The Threat, a Substack produced by the GW Program on Extremism. The author establishes that Hamawy, then a medical intern, provided medical assistance to the Benevolence International Fund (BIF) in the mid-1990s, working in Sarajevo and Zenica for periods ranging from around ten days to several weeks during the Bosnian civil war. The BIF, now defunct, was designated by the US Treasury as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’: under the guise of humanitarian aid, the organisation allegedly channelled resources to jihadist fighters, with its leadership linked to al-Qaeda figures such as Enaam Arnaout and Adel Batterjee, who were close to Osama bin Laden. Parsons points out that Hamawy is not accused of knowingly supporting the BIF’s terrorist activities and that his voluntary work took place several years before the organisation was publicly designated.
Read in this edition → - “I have infinitely more respect for Hamas leaders than for those of the State of Israel”: Le Figaro examines the background to the appeal court conviction of Islamologist François Burgat for condoning terrorism (a €5,000 fine and a three-year ban on holding public office)
On 5 June, *Le Figaro* reported on the conviction of François Burgat, an Islamologist and former research director at the CNRS, who was found guilty of glorifying terrorism by the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence on 27 May 2026 and fined 5,000 euros, along with a three-year ban on standing for election – one year after his acquittal at first instance by the Criminal Court of Aix-en-Provence. The prosecution centred on posts published on X in January 2024 concerning Hamas, including the sharing of a statement by the movement in response to a New York Times investigation into sexual violence committed on 7 October 2023, as well as the researcher’s now-iconic remark: “I have infinitely more respect for the leaders of Hamas than for those of the State of Israel. ” François Burgat, who denounced the decision as “political” and “biased”, has announced his intention to appeal to the Court of Cassation, prior to a possible referral to the European Court of Human Rights. The article documents the mobilisation of a section of the academic world and pro-Palestinian networks in support of the researcher.
Read in this edition → - “It’s a sort of ‘halalisation’ of the city”: Le Figaro lists reports of prayers broadcast over loudspeakers and street prayers during Eid al-Adha, and documents the difficulty mayors face in balancing public order with the neutrality of public spaces
On 4 June, *Le Figaro* published an investigation by Stéphane Kovacs into the complaints received by several French local authorities following Eid al-Adha on 27 May 2026. In Bry-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne), a town with no mosque, the mayor, Charles Aslangul (LR), said he had received around fifty complaints following the broadcast of Islamic prayers via loudspeakers between 7.30am and 9.30am from a neighbouring town; the Prefect of Val-de-Marne has referred the matter to the police to identify the source of the sound system, in coordination with neighbouring municipalities. Similar reports have been received in Noisy-le-Grand, Fontenay-sous-Bois, Villemomble, Nantes, Marseille and Chalon-sur-Saône. The mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône, Gilles Platret (DVD), sees this as having the same objective as street prayers: “imposing a religious practice” in public spaces. Anthropologist Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, quoted by Le Figaro, describes these phenomena as “coordinated and progressive strategies devised since the 1990s”. The investigation continues the series of events triggered by Laurent Nuñez’s statements on the ‘entrism’ law and by the Beauvau report on anti-religious acts (S24).
Read in this edition → - Germany – Sinan Selen, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), warned the Bundestag, during a closed-door parliamentary breakfast meeting, about the strategy of Muslim Brotherhood to infiltrate German political parties; the services identify the Deutsche Muslimische Gemeinschaft (DMG) as the movement’s main organisation, with around 1,450 members
On 3 June, BILD revealed, in an article by Filipp Piatov, that Sinan Selen, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), had alerted several members of the Bundestag gathered at a closed parliamentary breakfast organised under the patronage of State Secretary for the Interior Christoph de Vries (CDU) to the infiltration strategy being pursued by Muslim Brotherhood within German institutions and parties. According to participants, Selen described a non-violent but “particularly strategic and long-term” approach consisting of forging relationships with elected representatives, civil servants and civil society organisations in order to gradually influence political decisions in line with a vision inspired by Sharia law. The Muslim Brotherhood are said to respect German laws “as long as they are compatible with Sharia law”. The intelligence services believe that the Deutsche Muslimische Gemeinschaft (DMG) is the movement’s main organisational structure in Germany, with around 1,450 members. According to Selen, parties on the left of the political spectrum are particularly vulnerable to these attempts to make contact, due to a lack of knowledge of Islamist structures or a misguided tolerance. The statement comes a month after a written response from the government (6 May 2026) which denied having concrete evidence of successful infiltration of the Bundestag. The JDD covered the story on 5 June in an article by Louise Dugast; AK Polis provided a summary in German as early as 4 June, and CERIF published a reading note on 3 June.
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis, DEVI e.V. and Mernissi-de Gouges Bildungswerk have announced a public conference at Neukölln Town Hall on 19 June on the strategies of Muslim Brotherhood in Berlin, featuring Sascha Adamek, Martin Hikel (SPD), Seyran Ateş and Frederik Schindler (WELT)
On 4 June, AK Polis announced that a public conference would be held on 19 June at Neukölln Town Hall, entitled “Neukölln Dialogue for Integration: The Muslim Brotherhood in Berlin”, focusing on the Brotherhood’s strategies in Germany and the risks they pose to democracy. The programme includes an introduction by District Mayor Martin Hikel (SPD), a presentation by investigative journalist Sascha Adamek on his investigations, and a panel discussion bringing together elected representatives from the SPD and the CDU, Imam Seyran Ateş and presenter Frederik Schindler (WELT). The conference is co-organised by AK Polis, DEVI e.V. and the Mernissi-de Gouges Bildungswerk. The event forms part of a series of events initiated by Sinan Selen’s statements in the Bundestag (see above) and the DEVI booklet for teachers presented by AK Polis in S24.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Spectator has published an investigation by Andrew Gilligan (Policy Exchange) into a document by the National Association of Muslim Police, written by Khaldoun Kabbani, which describes Zionism as a “manifestation of anti-Muslim hatred”, the IDF a “Zionist terrorist group” and defends Hamas against the accounts of 7 October
On 5 June, The Spectator published an investigation by Andrew Gilligan, a senior fellow at Policy Exchange, into a 39-page document issued by the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP), the official body representing British Muslim police officers and affiliated with at least 16 of the UK’s 43 police forces. The document, entitled ‘Confronting Anti-Muslim Hatred’ and written by Khaldoun Kabbani, then vice-president of the NAMP, describes Zionism as a ‘manifestation of anti-Muslim hatred’ that ‘deprives Muslims of their humanity’, describes the IDF as a “Zionist terrorist group” and defends Hamas against “unverified and alarming accounts” of the violence committed on 7 October 2023 and thereafter. The text also calls for the removal of the terms “Islamist” and “jihadist” from the police counter-terrorism vocabulary. A CERIF reading note drafted by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler describes the document as “institutional entryism” through the patient substitution of the Islamist conceptual framework within British police structures. The Campaign Against Antisemitism is calling for a formal investigation.
Read in this edition → - Switzerland / Italy - Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism): two Catholic bishops, Marian Eleganti of Switzerland and Antonio Suetta of Italy, have broken with the Vatican’s line on interfaith dialogue and warned of the threat of Islamism in Europe following a series of jihadist attacks
On 5 June, Jules Gomes published an article for the Middle East Forum (Focus on Western Islamism programme) investigating two European Catholic bishops who have publicly distanced themselves from the Vatican’s policy of dialogue with Islam. Swiss Bishop Marian Eleganti describes Islam as “an anti-Christian religion by nature” and criticises some members of the episcopate for downplaying the link between jihadist violence and Islamic teaching. Italian Bishop Antonio Suetta, for his part, is launching an evangelisation programme aimed at Muslims, presenting “the proclamation of the Gospel” as the “most precious gift” he can offer them. Their positions stand in stark contrast to the stance of Pope Leo XIV and the late Pope Francis, who favoured interfaith dialogue, and come in the wake of a series of jihadist-style attacks in Europe.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt reveals that Musa Akkari, a senior Hamas representative in Turkey designated as a terrorist by the United States in June 2024, claims to have received a personal promise from Erdogan of protection “as if they were our own children”
On 4 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into Musa Akkari, a Palestinian born in Jerusalem and a former member of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas), who was released in October 2011 as part of the Shalit prisoner exchange and has been living in Turkey since February 2023, where he acts as a senior representative of Hamas. Designated as a terrorist by the US authorities (OFAC) in June 2024, Akkari is reported to have stated that President Erdogan personally promises Hamas militants in exile in Turkey: “We will protect you and look after you as we would our own children.” ” According to Bozkurt, Akkari regularly attends ministerial meetings with Erdogan and heads Hamas-linked media organisations operating from Turkish territory. The article places this protection within the context of Ankara’s systematic strategy of hosting Hamas operatives since the Shalit agreement of October 2011, and confirms Turkey’s role as a logistical, financial and propaganda base for the movement.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez analyses a report by the Turkish National Intelligence Academy which identifies Israel as a strategic rival in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean and advocates a ‘multi-layered strategy’ combining diplomatic dialogue and military preparedness
On 2 June, Levent Kenez published an analysis for Nordic Monitor of an internal report by the Turkish National Intelligence Academy, which was made public on 20 May 2026. The document identifies Israel as a potential strategic competitor in Syria and the eastern Mediterranean, and advocates a ‘multi-layered strategy’ combining diplomatic dialogue and military preparedness. The main recommendations focus on strengthening air and missile defences, protecting critical infrastructure and improving resilience to cyber threats. The analysis continues the sequence initiated by the April 2026 Turkish-Northern Cypriot economic agreement, presented by Ankara as establishing Northern Cyprus as a “strategic front” against Israel (see S24).
Read in this edition → - Gatestone: Khaled Abu Toameh analyses how Hamas and Iran perceive the signals of weakness sent by US diplomacy, and the emboldening effect this has on jihadist organisations
On 4 June, Khaled Abu Toameh published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘What Happens When Jihadists Smell Weakness’. The author argues that Western hesitation and diplomatic restraint are interpreted by Hamas and Iran not as a desire for peace but as an admission of weakness. Almost three years after 7 October 2023, despite the loss of many military leaders, Hamas retains control of Gaza and refuses to disarm. According to Abu Toameh, the public friction between Washington and Jerusalem, as well as reported US pressure to limit Israeli strikes against Hezbollah, embolden terrorist organisations, which operate on generational rather than electoral timescales: “Weakness, hesitation and public divisions send exactly the wrong message.”
Read in this edition → - Beauvau publishes her first detailed annual report on anti-religious acts in France: 2,489 incidents recorded in 2025, 53% of which were anti-Semitic and 88% anti-Muslim; Laurent Nuñez condemns “anti-religious hatred that is spreading throughout our country”
On 28 May, the Ministry of the Interior published its first detailed annual report on anti-religious acts in France, ahead of national and regional hearings aimed at mobilising all stakeholders to better prevent, document and prosecute such acts. Key figures for 2025: a total of 2,489 anti-religious acts recorded, including 1,320 anti-Semitic acts (53% of the total, whereas the Jewish population represents less than 1% of the French population), 843 anti-Christian acts (34%) and 326 anti-Muslim acts (13%). The rise in anti-Muslim acts is particularly marked: +88% compared to 2024 and +35% compared to 2023, driven mainly by violence against individuals (+151%). The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, condemns “growing anti-religious hatred affecting all faiths, throughout our country” and states his intention to mobilise “a range of government departments working in close cooperation ” (the Ministries of Justice, National Education, Culture, and Equality and the Fight against Discrimination). The publication continues the sequence initiated by Nuñez’s statements to Le Monde and CNews on the law against infiltration (see S20–S22), the ban on RAMO in Nantes (S23) and the ‘Aux Sources’ fair in Meyzieu (S23).
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis on the leaflet published by the DEVI association for teachers and social workers to help them identify the trends and symbols of Islamism
On 28 May, AK Polis is presenting a 30-page booklet published by the Berlin-based association DEVI, aimed at teachers, school social workers and other education professionals. The document provides an overview of the main movements, organisations and symbols of Islamism in Germany. It covers both Sunni and Shia variants, details organisations such as Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, and includes analytical frameworks to identify problematic behaviour in schools. The booklet forms part of a prevention initiative coordinated by the German federal states in response to the spread of absolutist religious discourse among young people (see S23).
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez on the Turkish-Northern Cypriot economic agreement, which enshrines the militarisation of the island as a front line against Israel
On 26 May, Levent Kenez published an analysis in Nordic Monitor of the 2026 economic and financial cooperation agreement between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), signed on 9 April. The agreement provides for 20.7 billion Turkish lira (453 million dollars), of which nearly 47% (9.65 billion) is earmarked for defence. According to the author, the document moves away from presenting Northern Cyprus as a mere territorial dispute, instead describing it as a “strategic asset” at the heart of regional tensions involving Gaza, Iran and the energy competition in the eastern Mediterranean. Kenez links this repositioning to Ankara’s abandonment of the federal model in favour of promoting a “two-state solution” based on sovereign equality, in line with the neo-Ottoman shift described by the JISS the previous week (see S23).
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt on the closure of Rey Airlines, the Turkish front for the IRGC’s Quds Force, and the continued presence of Iranian front companies in Turkey
On 1 June, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into Hossein Hafez Amini, a naturalised Turkish citizen of Iranian origin identified by the US authorities as an operative of the IRGC’s Quds Force (Iran’s foreign operations arm). Led by Amini, Istanbul-based Rey Airlines is alleged to have functioned as a “logistical and operational hub for the Quds Force’s clandestine activities in Turkey”, facilitating the circumvention of sanctions, kidnappings and assassination attempts against Iranian dissidents in Turkey. Since his public designation, Amini has disappeared and Rey Airlines has suspended its operations. The investigation nevertheless highlights the widespread persistence of Iranian structures in Turkey: 109 Iranian companies were established in the first quarter of 2026 alone, a figure exceeding that of German companies despite Iran’s trade volume being ten times smaller.
Read in this edition → - ISGAP is calling for a federal investigation into Qatar Foundation International, which is accused of channelling more than 220 educational programmes and $65 million into primary, secondary and higher education in the United States
On 27 May, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), led by Charles Asher Small, published a report entitled ‘Institutional Capture: Qatar Foundation International: Use of Soft Power to Reshape Education in the United States” and, at the same time, called for a federal investigation. The document details more than $65 million in funding allocated between 2009 and 2025 to over 220 educational programmes at K-12 and university levels. According to ISGAP, Qatar Foundation International has strayed from its stated role of teaching Arabic to exert a lasting influence on curricula, teacher training and educational content, notably by relying on federally funded Title VI Centres. The report concludes that there is a multi-year, coordinated strategy aimed at shaping the portrayal of the Middle East in American classrooms.
Read in this edition → - Texas - Gatestone: Robert Williams describes the local presence of Muslim Brotherhood following their designation by Governor Greg Abbott as a foreign terrorist organisation
On 29 May, Robert Williams published the first part of an investigation for the Gatestone Institute entitled ‘The Muslim Brotherhood’s War to Destroy the United States from Within: Part I – Jihad in Texas’. The author draws on the Brotherhood’s internal memorandum from 1991, which was admitted as evidence in the ‘Holy Land Foundation’ trial (2008), to describe what he terms a ‘civilisational jihad’ that has been waged in the United States for several decades. In Texas, Williams identifies more than 314 mosques, Islamic schools and community enclave projects such as ‘The Meadow’. He points out that in November 2025, Governor Greg Abbott designated Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organisations and transnational criminal organisations, prohibiting these organisations from acquiring property, and presents Yasir Qadhi as a central figure in this strategy of local establishment.
Read in this edition → - Islamic Relief USA has filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court against Islamic Relief Worldwide, alleging illegal fundraising, sanctions violations and falsified records relating to the sponsorship of orphans
On 27 May, AK Polis reports on the proceedings brought by Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA) before the US District Court for the Southern District of New York against its parent organisation, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), which is registered in the United Kingdom. The 113-page complaint, filed on 23 March, accuses IRW of illegally soliciting donations in the United States under the common brand name “Islamic Relief”, of misappropriation of funds, of refusing to cooperate with audits, and of withholding several million dollars in unused grants. It also mentions a transfer of €240,000 in cash to Turkey and “false orphan sponsorship files”, as well as suspected breaches of US sanctions. IRUSA, alerted by the federal authorities to the risk to its tax-exempt status, suspended its membership in October 2025; IRW, in a memorandum filed on 23 April 2026, requested that the dispute be referred to private arbitration. The proceedings extend the investigation by the Ways and Means Committee of the US House of Representatives and form part of the wider debate on the links between the Islamic Relief movement and Muslim Brotherhood (see S23 on the report by the German Federal Court of Auditors).
Read in this edition → - Nantes – The courts have upheld the ban on the 15th Annual Meeting of Muslims in Western France (RAMO); Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu sees this as “an important step in the fight against the infiltration of Muslim Brotherhood”
On 22 May, the Prefect of Loire-Atlantique issued an order banning the 15th edition of the Annual Meeting of Muslims of the West (RAMO), scheduled for 23 and 24 May at the Assalam Mosque in Nantes and organised by the AMSO (Association of Muslims of the South-West and West). The order specifically targeted the presence of speakers identified as leaders of Musulmans de France (formerly the UOIF, the historic branch of Muslim Brotherhood in France), who, according to the prefect, are likely to make statements constituting criminal offences or undermining human dignity and the principles and values of the Republic. On 23 May, the Nantes Administrative Court, to which the AMSO had referred the matter for interim relief, upheld the prefectural ban. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu welcomed the decision in a statement, describing it as an “important step in the fight against the infiltration of Muslim Brotherhood ” and stating that “in the face of political Islamism, the Republic must be firm, precise and legally beyond reproach”. AMSO takes note of the decision whilst reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law and its desire to promote “dialogue, the sharing of knowledge, spirituality and living together in strict accordance with republican values”.
Read in this edition → - Meyzieu (Rhône) – Mayor Issam Benzeghiba has issued a municipal by-law banning the “Aux Sources” event scheduled for 13–14 June, due to the announced visit of the preacher Vincent Souleymane
On 22 May, Issam Benzeghiba, the mayor (Centre Party) of Meyzieu, east of Lyon, signed a municipal order banning the “Aux Sources” event scheduled for 13 and 14 June in Meyzieu. The decree targeted the announced presence of Vincent Guyot, alias Vincent Souleymane, a preacher described by the authorities as close to Muslim Brotherhood and described by Lyon Capitale as a Salafist. The mayor cites a “serious breach of public order” and views “contrary to republican values”, noting that Souleymane is “known for his anti-Semitic views” and for statements hostile to feminist and LGBT movements. The mayor has also referred the matter to the Prefect of the Rhône, Étienne Guyot, to strengthen the legal basis for the ban. Background: the 2025 edition of the same fair had already been banned by the previous mayor, before the Lyon Administrative Court suspended the order in summary proceedings; in 2023, a conference by Souleymane in Lyon had been banned by both the prefecture and Grégory Doucet’s Green Party-led city council. It is likely that a new application for interim relief will be made before the fair is due to take place.
Read in this edition → - Florence Bergeaud-Blackler: how the National Assembly and the Senate discuss (and do not discuss) Islamism
On 20 May, Florence Bergeaud-Blackler published on her Substack a CERIF semantic analysis of 184 French parliamentary questions concerning Islamism. The author observes that three terms – ‘Islamism’, ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ and ‘brotherism’ – structure the contributions along distinct political lines, whilst the word ‘brotherism’ ’ appearing only twice in the debates. She argues that these three sets of terms reflect three frameworks of interpretation that are difficult to reconcile, which would explain Parliament’s difficulty in naming and then addressing the phenomenon. The analysis follows on from the debates sparked by the report ‘Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France’ in May 2025 and by the draft bill against entryism adopted by the Senate on 5 May (see S20–S22).
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis on a report by the Federal Audit Office questioning the Foreign Office’s funding of Islamic Relief Deutschland
On 23 May, AK Polis published an analysis of a report by the Federal Audit Office (Bundesrechnungshof) concerning funding granted by the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) to Islamic Relief Deutschland (IRD), an organisation described as linked to the Muslim Brotherhood movement. According to the report, approximately €15 million was paid out between 2013 and 2020 without sufficient prior assessment of the beneficiary’s eligibility; the Court highlights the destruction of founding documents, ignored internal warnings regarding links to Muslim Brotherhood, insufficient monitoring of the use of funds and a cash transfer of 240,000 euros to Turkey. The Ministry’s Syria office had warned of the risk of inadvertently strengthening brotherist structures in conflict zones.
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis echoes the warnings of theologian Mouhanad Khorchide regarding absolutist Islam being promoted among young people
On 18 May, AK Polis published an interview with Professor Mouhanad Khorchide, director of the Centre for Islamic Theology at the University of Münster, who warned against absolutist religious rhetoric that portrays Muslims as superior and others as inferior. He is concerned about content circulating on social media aimed at young Muslims, portraying the West as hostile and Muslims as victims. Khorchide advocates for a “cosmopolitan Islam” compatible with democratic values and gender equality, and believes that training imams and teachers who share this approach would have a lasting impact on society.
Read in this edition → - Europe - Gatestone: Robert Williams on an ECR Group report identifying ‘lawless zones’ in Europe
On 20 May, Robert Williams published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute of a report by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament, which identifies between 900 and 1,000 ‘lawless zones’ spread mainly across seven EU member states where the Muslim population significantly exceeds the European average. The report describes neighbourhoods characterised by high crime rates, recruitment activities and the establishment of parallel societies operating according to Islamic norms rather than national law. The author attributes the deterioration to the reluctance of European leaders to address the issue openly, and mentions the pressure exerted on women regarding dress and behaviour.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - JISS: Gabi Siboni and Erez Winner describe Ankara’s neo-Ottoman shift and its support for Hamas
On 20 May, the JISS published a study by Gabi Siboni and Erez Winner analysing Turkey’s transformation from a strategic partner of Israel into an actor perceived as a threat, driven by neo-Ottoman aspirations. The authors describe Erdogan’s ideological shift towards a policy blending Turkish nationalism and political Islam, Ankara’s military build-up and its active support for Hamas, alongside other movements including Muslim Brotherhood. They argue that Turkey now seeks regional hegemony in the Eastern Mediterranean, based on an imperial vision rather than a logic of alliance.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt on the Court of Cassation’s reduction of the sentences handed down to two IS members in the case of the attack on a NATO facility in İzmir
On 25 May, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into a ruling by the Turkish Court of Cassation overturning the terrorism convictions handed down to two members of Islamic State involved in the 2019 attack on a NATO facility in İzmir, whilst upholding the charges of attempted murder. The court cited procedural irregularities, as the prosecutors had failed to draw up an indictment for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. The author sees this as unequal treatment by the judiciary, which is harsher towards government opponents than towards terrorist organisations, and links the decision to the weakening of anti-terrorism prosecutions following the purges of judges and police officers between 2014 and 2017 (see S21-S22).
Read in this edition → - Israel / Qatar – JISS: Ariel Admoni on relations between Doha and Hamas in the face of war with Iran
On 20 May, the JISS published a study by Ariel Admoni on the state of relations between Qatar and Hamas in the context of the conflict between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other. The author believes that the tensions that have emerged, notably reports of a possible departure of Hamas leaders from Doha, are part of a Qatari balancing act rather than a breakdown in relations. He notes the continued provision of humanitarian aid, reconstruction projects in Gaza and high-level diplomatic meetings, and interprets the crisis announcements as political signals intended for Gulf partners, with Qatar maintaining its relationship with the movement through separate channels.
Read in this edition → - 78th Nakba Commemoration March in Paris: Urgence Palestine and the CNPJDPI are organising a rally at Place de la République, with parallel gatherings taking place across the regions
On 16 May, following a call by Urgence Palestine and the National Collective for a Just and Lasting Peace between Palestinians and Israelis (CNPJDPI, which brings together around a hundred organisations including the AFPS, the UJFP, Solidaires, Attac and several left-wing parties), a procession marched in Paris from Place de la République at 2 pm to mark the 78th anniversary of the Nakba. Parallel rallies were held in several French cities (Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Rennes). The mobilisation forms part of the global day of action coordinated by the Palestine Solidarity network (Solace Global has recorded 736 events in 39 countries over the weekend). Urgence Palestine is among the collectives identified by European intelligence services as actors within the secular pro-Palestinian movement which, according to the BfV report published the same week (see Europe / Germany), serves as a “bridge narrative” between the far left and Islamist movements.
Read in this edition → - Chems-Eddine Hafiz fears a "state of emergency" against Muslims in France
On 14 May, *Le JDD* published an interview with Chems-Eddine Hafiz, rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, who expressed fears of the establishment of “a state of emergency” targeting Muslims in the context of the government’s draft bill against infiltration and Bruno Retailleau’s bill adopted by the Senate on 5 May. The rector reaffirmed “the need for the State to combat extremism and all attacks on the Republic”, whilst calling for this action to be carried out “with discernment, with respect for fundamental freedoms and without collective stigmatisation”. He states that “the law cannot target a group or individuals on the basis of their religion”, refers to a sense of “saturation and injustice” among Muslims, and criticises the exploitation of his remarks by the far right. This statement continues the series of events triggered by the publication of the report “Muslim Brotherhood and political Islamism in France” in May 2025 and by Laurent Nuñez’s comments on CNews on 7 May (see S21).
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – London: the 78th Nakba March takes place opposite Tommy Robinson’s rally; 4,000 police officers deployed, 12 arrests made, including one for supporting the banned organisation Palestine Action
On 16 May, two rival processions took place in London: the Nakba 78 march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain, and the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally led by anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson. The Metropolitan Police deployed around 4,000 officers at an estimated cost of £4.5 million – one of the largest policing operations of the year. The organisers of the Nakba march claimed up to 250,000 participants; the Met estimated 30,000; 50,000 people joined Tommy Robinson’s procession. Outcome: 43 arrests, including 20 at the Robinson rally and 12 at the Nakba march (three for refusing to remove a face covering, one for supporting Palestine Action – an organisation banned by the British government in July 2025 – and one for assaulting an officer). Four police officers were assaulted and six were victims of hate crimes during the day. The Met had previously announced that slogans such as “Globalise the intifada” would be banned from the marches and prosecuted; activist Peter Tatchell had already been arrested on 31 January 2026 for using such a slogan.
Read in this edition → - Belgium – Brussels, national march “Justice for Palestine, Stop the Nakba”: several thousand demonstrators between Gare du Nord and Gare Centrale
On 17 May, several thousand demonstrators marched in Brussels between Gare du Nord and Gare Centrale, following a call by the Belgian-Palestinian Association, the Union of Progressive Jews of Belgium (UPJB), Oxfam Belgium and Amnesty International Belgium, as part of the commemoration of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba. The marchers called, in particular, for an end to arms transfers to Israel, sanctions against those responsible for violations of international law, and the suspension of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel. The organisers had publicly called for the demonstration to be strictly peaceful, excluding anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia. No significant incidents were reported by the Belgian press (La Libre, RTBF, DH).
Read in this edition → - Sweden - Gatestone: Stockholm drops the term ‘Islamophobia’ in favour of ‘anti-Muslim hatred’
On 12 May, Robert Williams published an analysis for the Gatestone Institute on the Swedish government’s decision to drop the term ‘Islamophobia’ from its official communications in favour of ‘anti-Muslim racism’ or ‘anti-Muslim hatred’, announced by Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard during a parliamentary debate. The decision responds to questions from the Sweden Democrats and forms part of the conservative coalition government’s policy on immigration, integration and political Islam. The author places the decision in the context of the French report of May 2025 on Muslim Brotherhood, which documents, in particular, the presence of the movement in Sweden. Several conservative European publications (Brussels Signal, European Conservative) reported on the decision during the week.
Read in this edition → - Italy – European Conservative: a speech by the president of the Islamic Community of Rome reignites the debate on ‘political Islam’
On 13 May, Michael Curzon published an article for *The European Conservative* on the controversy sparked by a video of Ahmed Vall, president of the Islamic Community of Rome, calling on Muslims to “go out and vote for all Muslims and for all free citizens” in the referendum on Giorgia Meloni’s government’s judicial reform (limiting the power of the judiciary and reviewing the role of magistrates). In the video, Vall defends an independent judiciary on the grounds that it would protect Muslims from mosque closures and deportations deemed unjust. The footage sparked strong reactions on the Italian right: Lega MEP Silvia Sardone describes the fight against Islamism as “an absolute priority for defending Italy”, whilst Il Giornale argues that the video demonstrates that “political Islam is among us” and sees it as a challenge to the secular state. The episode continues the recurring Italian debate on infiltration and the prospect of a law against separatism (see S14 and S16).
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis on a report by the BfV documenting the convergence of Islamists and the far left around the Palestinian cause
On 13 May, AK Polis published an analysis of a report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) focusing on cooperation between pro-Palestinian extremists, the far left and Islamists in Germany. The BfV describes anti-Semitism and hostility towards Israel as a “bridging narrative” enabling distinct movements to act together, and notes an intensification since 7 October 2023, particularly in Berlin, centred on organisations such as Young Struggle. The report highlights the pivotal role of secular pro-Palestinian actors, who build ideological and operational bridges between Islamist groups and far-left structures.
Read in this edition → - Germany – AK Polis on the continuation of denominational Islamic education in Baden-Württemberg
On 13 May, AK Polis published a note on the decision by the Green-CDU coalition in Baden-Württemberg to continue denominational Islamic religious education via the ‘Stiftung Sunnitischer Schulrat’, a foundation established by the regional government in 2019 to serve as a religious partner in state schools. The article highlights the criticisms of constitutional law expert Hartmut Kreß, who sees this as the extension to Muslims of a 19th-century ecclesiastical system of state-church relations, and notes that 72% of Germans say they are in favour of a common ethics curriculum. AK Polis emphasises that maintaining a fragmented denominational approach preserves the position of conservative structures and fuels their influence on teacher training and the organisation of Muslim worship in the state.
Read in this edition → - Israel / Qatar – JISS: Ariel Admoni on Qatar’s involvement in the South African case against Israel at the ICJ
On 12 May, the JISS published a study by Ariel Admoni documenting Qatar’s multi-channel influence campaign in support of South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. The author identifies four key areas: diplomatic alignment – President Ramaphosa having announced the case from Doha in November 2023 – economic deepening (QatarEnergy’s gas exploration in March 2024, Qatar Airways’ acquisition of a 25% stake in Airlink in August 2024), legal pressure involving relations between Doha and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, and coordinated media coverage via Al Jazeera. The study analyses the intertwining of Qatari economic interests and South African diplomatic efforts surrounding the case.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Gatestone: Khaled Abu Toameh on Turkey as a ‘hub’ for Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood
On 11 May, Khaled Abu Toameh published an article for the Gatestone Institute describing Erdogan’s Turkey as an “operational, logistical and financial hub” for Hamas’s infrastructure. The author documents the presence in Turkey of the movement’s leaders and networks, the military training provided to members (particularly in drone piloting), and the existence of Iranian money-laundering networks operating on Turkish soil. He highlights Erdogan’s ideological alignment with the Muslim Brotherhood and Ankara’s persistent refusal to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation, and calls on the Trump administration to incorporate this issue into its counter-terrorism strategy unveiled on 6 May (see S21).
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Levent Kenez reveals that a businessman under investigation in Istanbul is alleged to have worked for the MIT in Europe and the United States
On 15 May, Levent Kenez published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into Hüseyin Gün, a Turkish businessman accused in Istanbul of spying for Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom, who claims to have in fact worked for the Turkish intelligence services (MIT). According to his statements, he allegedly gathered information on opponents of Erdogan in Europe and the United States, including members of the Gülen movement. The case forms part of the legal proceedings against Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoglu, the president’s main rival in the 2028 presidential election, for which sentences of 15 to 20 years in prison are being sought on charges of disclosing digital and electoral data.
Read in this edition → - Turkey - Nordic Monitor: Abdullah Bozkurt on the resurgence of the Kurdish Islamist network KİDH under judicial protection
On 18 May, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into the Kürdistan İslami Devrim Hareketi (KİDH), a movement combining Kurdish nationalism with radical Islamist ideology that aims to establish an independent Kurdish Islamic state spanning Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. The author claims that the Erdogan government had the terrorism convictions handed down against members of the group overturned through judicial review, with their actions being reclassified as common law offences. The movement operates through legal structures such as the magazine ‘Mizgin’ and the Toplum-Der association, and has financed its operations through robberies, extortion and ransoms. The investigation builds on the analysis published on 11 May (see S21) regarding the transformation of the Turkish judicial system through the purges of magistrates between 2014 and 2017.
Read in this edition → - Toronto – Anas Altikriti, a speaker due to appear at the Muslim Association of Canada’s conference, was turned away in Montreal
On 14 May, JNS reported that Canadian border officials questioned Anas Altikriti, director of the Muslim Association of Britain, for eleven hours at Montreal airport before turning him back to the United Kingdom. Altikriti was due to speak at the annual convention of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), held from 16 to 18 May at the Enercare Centre in Toronto, a municipal facility at Exhibition Place. JNS notes that Altikriti had previously denied the massacres of 7 October 2023 and described the hostage-taking as a “strategic military action”. In a statement published on 14 May, MAC condemned what it called an “excess” by the Canadian government, which it attributed to “bad-faith pressure” from pro-Israeli groups seeking to stifle voices critical of Israel, and reports that almost all of its international speakers have faced visa cancellations, delays in authorisation or questioning at border crossings.
Read in this edition → - Toronto – Nakba 78 rally at Sankofa Square: thousands of demonstrators gather for the ‘National Day of Action’
On 16 May, several thousand demonstrators gathered at Sankofa Square (Toronto, formerly Yonge-Dundas Square) at 3 pm as part of the ‘National Day of Action’ to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, organised notably by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and the Toronto Palestinian Youth Movement. The rally is part of the weekly cycle of pro-Palestinian demonstrations that have been taking place in Toronto since October 2023, and coincides with the annual convention of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) held that same weekend at the Enercare Centre (see previous item). No significant incidents were reported by the Canadian press on this specific date; the Toronto Police Service had made arrests at previous rallies (eleven arrests documented in 2024 by The Globe and Mail).
Read in this edition → - Australia – Sydney and Melbourne, Nakba 78 rallies: National Day of Action organised by the Palestine Action Group
On 15 May in Sydney (Town Hall, 6 pm) and on 17 May in Melbourne (State Library of Victoria), pro-Palestinian rallies were held as part of the ‘National Day of Action "Nakba 78", coordinated nationally by the Palestine Action Group Sydney, Free Palestine Melbourne and Justice for Palestine Brisbane. The situation in Australia is tense: on 9 February 2026, New South Wales police violently dispersed a rally against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit outside Sydney Town Hall (27 arrests, 9 charges, use of pepper spray and physical assaults documented by Al Jazeera); in Melbourne in May 2025, six demonstrators had been arrested during a previous Nakba rally pitting pro-Palestinian activists against the Christian Zionist movement ICEJ (with Victorian police estimating a total of 7,000 participants). No official figures had been published for the rallies held over the weekend of 15–17 May 2026 at the time of going to press.
Read in this edition → - Laurent Nuñez points out that the term ‘entrism’ does not necessarily refer to political Islam
On 7 May, in a new interview with CNews, Laurent Nuñez clarified that his bill against entryism and separatism “targets entryism and separatism without necessarily referring to political Islamism” and will target all separatist or ultra-violent groups, “such as far-right groups”. The minister defines entryism as “a strategy of infiltration aimed at imposing religious law through deceptive manoeuvres, pressure and threats”. On 6 May, Causeur published a column by Ivan Rioufol who deemed these measures “futile” as long as migration policy remains unchanged. This segment follows on from Laurent Nuñez’s interview with Le Monde on 3 May (see S20).
Read in this edition → - Belgium – Joël Rubinfeld in Gatestone: ‘Israel, the Dreyfus of nations’
On 5 May, Gatestone published the first part of an interview by Grégoire Canlorbe with Joël Rubinfeld, president of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism and the Jewish Coalition for Kurdistan. Rubinfeld compares Israel’s situation to that of Dreyfus and describes UN agencies, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam and the League for Human Rights – founded in 1901 in the wake of the Dreyfus affair – as the “prosecutors” in an ongoing trial. He draws parallels between European pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the marches of the 1930s in Germany, analyses the phenomenon of anti-Semitic Jews as an attempt to escape social pressure, and expresses his concern about the future of the Belgian Jewish community by 2050.
Read in this edition → - Germany – Lale Akgün on AK Polis: ‘Halal cannot be certified’
On 7 May, AK Polis published an article by Lale Akgün on the commercialisation of halal in Germany. The author argues that certification cannot standardise moral values and criticises the concentration of financial flows in the hands of certification bodies – “whoever defines halal controls the financial flows and people’s consciences ”. The article explicitly calls into question organisations classified by the German security services: the Islamische Gemeinschaft Millî Görüş (IGMG), the German branch of the Turkish Milli Görüş movement, and the Islamic Centre of Hamburg (IZH), which was banned in 2024. Lale Akgün is a Social Democrat MP of Turkish origin and co-founder of AK Polis.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – Abdullah Bozkurt on the alleged protection of an al-Qaeda network behind the assassination of Ambassador Karlov
On 7 May, Abdullah Bozkurt published an investigation for Nordic Monitor into the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, who was killed in Ankara in December 2016 by police officer Mevlüt Mert Altıntaş. The author claims that the Turkish authorities dismissed leads pointing to jihadist networks in order to pin the blame on the Gülen movement, and documents the shooter’s radicalisation by preachers linked to al-Qaeda and charitable organisations supporting the jihad in Syria. The article describes the use of fabricated testimonies and judicial manipulation to construct the official narrative, whilst Russia is said to have continued its own investigations in parallel.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – Nordic Monitor on the transformation of the judicial system into a political tool
On 11 May, Abdullah Bozkurt published an analysis for Nordic Monitor tracing the transformation of the Turkish judicial system into a political tool under President Erdogan, beginning with the anti-corruption investigations of December 2013 targeting the president’s inner circle. The author describes the gradual replacement of around 4,000 judges and prosecutors with loyalists of the ruling party, particularly following the attempted coup in July 2016, and argues that certain opposition leaders helped to legitimise these purges by presenting them as necessary measures against supporters of the Gülen movement. The article complements the investigation published on 7 May on the Karlov case.
Read in this edition → - Israel – JISS: Eran Lerman on Israel’s scope for military action under the Trump administration
On 5 May, Brigadier General (Reserve) Eran Lerman published a paper for the JISS on the operational scenarios available to Israel regarding Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, taking into account the constraints imposed by the Trump administration. The author observes that Washington favours a stance of declared ‘peace’ and economic pressure over kinetic operations, and advocates ‘exceptions’ negotiated in advance with the United States for certain Iranian threats, as well as restraint regarding Lebanese and Beirut infrastructure. The note follows on from his publications of 20 and 21 April on Israel’s European agenda (see S19).
Read in this edition → - FDD – the 2026 counter-terrorism strategy identifies Muslim Brotherhood as the ‘source’ of modern Islamist terrorism
On 8 May, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies published an analysis of the new national counter-terrorism strategy unveiled by the White House on 6 May 2026. The document identifies Muslim Brotherhood as “the source of all modern Islamist terrorism” and announces that the administration will “soon” designate other branches of the movement as Foreign Terrorist Organisations. The strategy extends the January 2026 designations of the Lebanese (al-Jamaa al-Islamiyah, FTO and SDGT), Jordanian, Egyptian and Sudanese branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, and places the movement on a par with traditional jihadist organisations and drug cartels. The Trump administration says it wants to “reduce the space in which Muslim Brotherhood can operate”.
Read in this edition → - Counter Extremism Project – Alexander Ritzmann calls for a shift from an ‘incident-based’ approach to a category of ‘violence-oriented antisemitic extremism’
On 6 May, the Counter Extremism Project published a report by Alexander Ritzmann, “Rethinking the Fight against Antisemitism after 7 October”, which assesses current public responses as being “too focused on the incident” rather than on organised actors. The document proposes creating a category of “violence-oriented antisemitic extremism” (VAE) to identify the networks, funding and coordinators behind the threats. The recommendations include the adoption of tools to combat violent extremism, the tracking of funding, enhanced international cooperation and the moderation of online content that incites violence.
Read in this edition → - GW Program on Extremism – Sergio Altuna on the rift between ISIS and al-Qaeda in the context of the war in Iran
On 5 May, the Program on Extremism at George Washington University published a study by Sergio Altuna entitled ‘The Iran Stress Test: How the War Clarifies the ISIS–Al-Qaeda Divide’. The author argues that the escalation involving Iran acts as a “stress test” for the jihadist sphere: ISIS is intensifying its sectarian framework by placing Iran at the heart of its propaganda, whilst al-Qaeda maintains a more reserved stance in which Iran is largely absent. The crisis is reshaping the competition between the two organisations for legitimacy and influence within the jihadist sphere.
Read in this edition → - Quebec City – Québec solidaire criticises the PQ leader’s comments on the “brotherism” and proposes granting citizenship to permanent residents
On 5 May, *La Presse* reported that Gabriel Zanetti, the Québec solidaire candidate for Anjou–Louis-Riel, believes that the statements made by PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon regarding the “brotherism ” (see S19) used “negative language that paints immigrants in a bad light”. At the same time, Québec solidaire unveiled a proposal to offer Quebec citizenship to the 300,000 permanent residents in the event of a referendum victory, presented as a sign of the sovereigntist movement’s openness to cultural communities. The report continues the controversy sparked by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s speech at the CIJA assembly on 15 April.
Read in this edition → - Laurent Nuñez outlines his bill against ‘all forms’ of separatism and entryism
In an interview with *Le Monde* published on 3 May and widely reported in the press, the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, outlined the scope of the government’s draft bill, which is currently being examined by the Council of State. The bill introduces an eighth ground for the dissolution of associations, namely “entrism”, and extends the period during which publications deemed harmful to young people may be banned from one to three years. It also aims to ban in France the activities of organisations that have been dissolved and then reconstituted abroad, with the minister explicitly citing the “Collectif contre l’islamophobie en France”. Nuñez states that the bill targets not only Islamist entryism, but “all forms of separatism and entryism”, including far-right organisations. He asserts: “I have no problem with Islam in France, but I am fighting those who use it to undermine our Republic.”
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – two Jewish men stabbed in Golders Green; Ashab al-Yamin has claimed responsibility for the attack
On 29 April, two Jewish men – one in his 70s and the other in his 30s – were stabbed on Golders Green Road in London. The attacker, a 45-year-old British national born in Somalia, was restrained by the Shomrim community patrol before being arrested by the Metropolitan Police. A few hours after the incident, the group Ashab al-Yamin, described as having links to Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack on Telegram, calling for further attacks against “Zionists” and the assassination of Donald Trump. Joe Truzman points out that this is the group’s first claim of responsibility for attacks against individuals, following sixteen attacks attributed to them since March against Jewish and Western institutions in Europe. The British authorities have classified the incident as a terrorist attack and raised the national threat level.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – Campaign Against Antisemitism documents the attack in Golders Green
On the same day, the Campaign Against Antisemitism published its own account of the events, detailing the timeline of the attack, the intervention by the Shomrim patrol and the first aid administered by the Hatzola community medical service. This source documents the community perspective on the event, complementing the jihadist analysis provided by FDD’s Long War Journal.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Albania – Nordic Monitor on the school incident in Maarif and Erdogan’s education network
On 28 April, Levent Kenez reported for Nordic Monitor on an incident at a Maarif school in Elbasan (Albania), where the headteacher, Fatih Konuksever, confiscated and threw away meals brought in by pupils. The article places the incident in the context of the Maarif Foundation, a foreign policy instrument of the Turkish government operating in 64 countries with 517 schools, two universities and 15 educational centres. The foundation’s budget has risen from 422.5 million Turkish lira in 2019 to 6.7 billion in 2025. Critics point to recruitment based on political connections, insufficient professional qualifications and the continuation of activities in problematic contexts, notably Afghanistan under the Taliban.
Read in this edition → - Sweden / Turkey – MIT takes legal action against journalist Abdullah Bozkurt
On 29 April, Nordic Monitor revealed that a classified letter from the Millî İstihbarat Teşkilatı (MIT) dated 22 January 2025 called for a prison sentence of up to seventeen years for Abdullah Bozkurt, a journalist living in exile in Sweden and the founder of the website. The letter, signed by MIT legal adviser Fuat Midas, followed Bozkurt’s investigation into alleged links between the Turkish intelligence services and Anas Hasan Khattab, a former al-Qaeda operations chief in Syria who had become director of Syrian intelligence. An indictment was filed on 2 April 2026 by prosecutor Ahmet Ardıç, and a Turkish court accepted the case on 22 April, opening a trial in absentia. Sweden had previously rejected an extradition request, deeming the charges to be politically motivated.
Read in this edition → - Israel / Hamas – Bassam Tawil on the international silence regarding Hamas’s abuses
On 30 April, the Gatestone Institute published an article by Bassam Tawil reporting on testimonies from Palestinian women describing sexual abuse allegedly committed by members of Hamas, sometimes in exchange for food aid, as well as assaults on minors. The author highlights the silence of international human rights organisations and feminist movements, and criticises the ineffectiveness of the Trump administration’s ‘Board of Peace’ in securing the disarmament of Hamas, six months after the ceasefire.
Read in this edition → - Jordan – FDD analyses the renaming of the Islamic Action Front as the ‘Ummah Party’
On 1 May, Ahmad Sharawi published an analysis for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on the name change of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan. On 26 April, the IAF’s advisory council agreed to become the ‘Ummah Party’, and on 29 April, the Independent Electoral Commission confirmed the new name. The change stems from Jordan’s 2022 Political Parties Act, which prohibits religious references in party names, and follows the dissolution of the Jordanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in April 2025. The author notes that the leadership remains that of the dissolved movement, such as Ahmad al-Qatawna, head of the parliamentary group and former member of the executive committee of the Jordanian Brothers, and describes the move as a “cosmetic rebranding”. The analysis sheds light on the significance of the United States’ designation, in January 2026, of the Lebanese, Jordanian, Egyptian and Sudanese branches of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - B'nai Brith Canada – a record 6,800 anti-Semitic incidents in 2025
On 27 April, B’nai Brith Canada and its Human Rights League published the Annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents for the year 2025. The organisation recorded 6,800 incidents, or 18.6 per day, the highest total since the monitoring programme began in 1982. This represents a 9.4% increase year-on-year and a 145.6% rise compared to 2022, the last year before the attacks of 7 October. The report details 6,491 cases of harassment, 299 of vandalism and ten acts of physical violence. Richard Robertson, Director of Research and Advocacy, describes the situation as a “national crisis” and calls for a “whole-of-government” approach. The report recalls the context of the federal government’s tabling of Bill C-9 on hate crimes in September 2025.
Read in this edition → - LFI – controversy over the recognition of entryism
On 21 April, Atlantico published a column by Hugues Serraf reviewing the statements made by Nadia Meziane, an activist who publicly identifies as an Islamist, in which she criticised Jean-Luc Mélenchon for denying the reality of Islamist influence within La France insoumise. The article follows the CNOUS elections on 1 April (see S18) and the findings of the parliamentary inquiry into links between political parties and Islamist movements.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Israel – Nordic Monitor describes Hizb ut-Tahrir as a ‘radicalisation pipeline’ following the attack on the Israeli consulate in Istanbul
In an investigation published by Nordic Monitor, Abdullah Bozkurt documents the 7 April bomb attack on the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, in which two of the three attackers had links to Hizb ut-Tahrir. The article traces the backgrounds of Onur Çelik, who had been attending an office of the organisation in Gebze for two years, and Abdulkadir Ercan, who was recruited by Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2007 and subsequently by al-Qaeda and Islamic State. It recalls the 2018 ruling by the Turkish Constitutional Court which decriminalised the group despite previous administrative designations, and presents Hizb ut-Tahrir as a legalistic structure serving as a conduit to jihadist violence.
Read in this edition → - Israel / Europe – JISS publishes a paper by Eran Lerman calling for Israel not to abandon Europe despite Islamist activism
Brigadier General (Reserve) Eran Lerman, former deputy head of Israel’s National Security Council, has published a paper for the JISS in which he identifies radical Islamist activism as one of the factors behind anti-Israel protests in Europe, though he does not present it as the sole explanation. He distinguishes between organised Islamist movements and the broader views of the European public, and sets out six strategic recommendations for Israel, including strengthening ties with Greece, Cyprus and Central Europe.
Read in this edition → - Europe – anti-Semitism and the ‘red-green alliance’
In an opinion piece published on 22 April by Gatestone, Nils A. Haug analyses the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe since 7 October 2023. The author identifies what he calls a ‘red-green alliance’ between a section of the Western left and organised Islamist movements, and argues that Israel should not base its security on the protection of European governments.
Read in this edition → - Europe – a strategic analysis of the JISS
In a paper published by the JISS on 20 April, Gabi Siboni and Erez Winner present an analysis of the European stance following the conflict in Iran, which they attribute to a combination of ‘peace addiction’, poorly regulated immigration and a withdrawal from security matters. The publication builds on Eran Lerman’s note of 21 April (on the front page) on Israel’s European agenda and provides a framework for understanding the ongoing debates on the place of political Islam in European society.
Read in this edition → - United States – 11th Muslim Advocacy Day at the Capitol: RAIR Foundation raises concerns about the presence of the USCMO and CAIR
From 20 to 21 April, the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) held its 11th National Muslim Advocacy Day at the Capitol, bringing together over a thousand delegates from 33 states for around 260 meetings with members of Congress. The RAIR Foundation, in an alert published on 9 April and updated at the start of the event, called on parliamentarians to refuse these meetings, citing the documented track records of CAIR and ICNA, identified by several analysts as having close ties to the brotherist American movement. This development coincides with the bill introduced on 9 April by Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) seeking to designate CAIR as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.
Read in this edition → - Quebec – the PQ leader uses the term “brotherism”
At a public meeting organised on 15 April by the Centre for Jewish and Israeli Affairs (CIJA), Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, referred to the “brotherism ” as a “documented reality in several European countries” which, in his view, Ottawa refuses to acknowledge in Canada. On 22 April, La Presse and Le Devoir reported on the federal government’s response, which accused the PQ leader of peddling “a conspiracy theory”, and the National Council of Canadian Muslims’ (NCCM) request for a meeting. On 25 April, La Presse reported that the PQ leader was “reaching out” to cultural communities, noting the presence of Muslim candidates in the constituencies of Jeanne-Mance–Viger and Anjou–Louis-Riel.
Read in this edition → - Quebec – CNMC’s response to the statement on the ‘brotherism’
On 22 April, Le Devoir published a follow-up report on the response from the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). Stephen Brown, the organisation’s executive director, said he felt “shocked” and believes that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s statement “sows mistrust towards Quebecers of the Muslim faith”. The PQ leader said he was “open to a possible meeting” but considered his positions “irreconcilable” with those of the organisation.
Read in this edition → - Macdonald-Laurier Institute – Phillips/Babb dialogue
On 16 April, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute is releasing an episode of “Inside Policy Talks” featuring British commentator Melanie Phillips and Casey Babb, director of the institute’s “The Promised Land” programme. The discussion focuses on the West’s difficulty in understanding Islam as a political project, rather than merely as a personal religion. The episode builds on Casey Babb’s work on North American networks and falls within the 14-day window selected by the monitoring service.
Read in this edition → - France – The UNI trade union condemns the admission of Muslim Students of France to the CNOUS
Following the national elections on 1 April at the National Centre for University and School Activities, a joint list comprising the Student Union (affiliated with La France insoumise), the Student Trade Union Federation and the Muslim Students of France (EMF) won 32.1% of the vote and three seats. The UNI union has condemned an alliance that allows the EMF, described by Florence Bergeaud-Blackler as the student wing of Muslim Brotherhood in France, to gain access for the first time to the highest representative student body and the public funding associated with it.
Read in this edition → - CNOUS – Far-left alliance / EMF
Boulevard Voltaire analyses the electoral alliance that enabled the Muslim Students of France to gain a seat on the CNOUS, described as a case of ‘entrism’ brotherist facilitated by student unions aligned with La France insoumise. The article highlights how this representation provides access to public funding earmarked for student life.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Europe – European governments are tightening their grip on Turkey’s Diyanet
In a report by Levent Kenez, Nordic Monitor details the measures taken by several European countries – Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium – against the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs. Freezing the bank accounts of affiliated foundations, introducing financial transparency rules, and encouraging the training of clergy locally rather than importing them from Turkey: the authorities now regard the Diyanet as Ankara’s ‘long arm’ rather than as an independent religious institution.
Read in this edition → - Lebanon / Europe – Gatestone examines Hezbollah’s operations and the ‘selective outrage’ of European capitals
In an article published on 18 April, Majid Rafizadeh documents the chronology of Hezbollah’s attacks on Israeli territory, the successive breaches of the ceasefire since 2024, and the establishment of the group’s military infrastructure in civilian areas of Lebanon. The author criticises the double standards of international condemnation, which reacts to Israeli retaliations without questioning the provocations of the Iranian proxy. The text complements the Austrian DPI study (15 April) on Hezbollah’s financial operations in Europe.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – a new global religious strategy to circumvent restrictions
On 16 April, the Middle East Forum published a report by Abdullah Bozkurt documenting Turkey’s response to the European restrictions analysed that same week by Nordic Monitor. Rather than sending imams from Ankara, the Diyanet now trains staff locally through its International Theology Programme, diversifies its funding through foundations and donations, and is expanding its network of religious, educational and humanitarian influence to over 140 countries. The article provides a complementary perspective to the Nordic Monitor investigation (on the front page).
Read in this edition → - European leaders and Islamism – an opinion piece by Guy Millière
Gatestone has published an opinion piece by Guy Millière criticising Western European leaders for their passivity in the face of political Islamism and Iran. The author cites French, British and German diplomacy, which he considers to be reduced to mere statements of ‘concern’, and places the debate within the context of decades of unassimilated immigration in Western Europe.
Read in this edition → - United States / Qatar – Gatestone Institute calls for a ban on Al Jazeera
In an opinion piece published on 13 April, Bassam Tawil argues that the Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera serves as a propaganda vehicle for Hamas and organisations linked to Muslim Brotherhood. The author documents several cases of Palestinian ‘journalists’ on the editorial staff who also belonged to the armed wing of Hamas, cites MEMRI’s work on the channel’s anti-Semitic content, and calls on Washington and Western capitals to initiate proceedings to designate it as an entity supporting terrorism.
Read in this edition → - Nuñez – a controversial ‘soft approach’
In the wake of Laurent Nuñez’s visit to the Grand Mosque of Paris (12 March) and his return to the Senate (8 April), several opinion pieces have criticised the Home Secretary’s ‘soft approach’: Causeur, Atlantico (4 April) and Boulevard Voltaire (9 April) have questioned his “zigzagging” stance on Islamism and his position on the hijab for young girls, ahead of the draft bill on separatism expected to be presented to the Council of Ministers at the end of April.
Read in this edition → - European Union – Gatestone Institute accuses the European Commission of funding organisations linked to Muslim Brotherhood
In an article by Robert Williams published on 17 April, the Gatestone Institute claims that the European Commission, through its programmes, funds organisations linked to the brotherist movement such as ENAR (European Network Against Racism) and FEMYSO (Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations), despite its denials. The article draws on a December 2025 report claiming that these groups “exploit EU funding to advance their agenda”. The author denounces a cycle of self-legitimisation: European institutional recognition enables these actors to secure further funding, whilst accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ are said to deter officials from taking action.
Read in this edition → - Austria / Europe – The Documentation Centre publishes a study on Hezbollah’s financial operations in Europe
The Documentation Centre on Political Islam (DPI), based in Vienna, has published a study led by Lina Khatib (Chatham House) with contributions from the expert Anrike Visser. The report analyses Hezbollah’s financial structures in Europe and documents its links with companies operating globally, as well as with both legal and illegal economic networks.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – The Free Speech Union is challenging the government’s definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’
The FSU has sent a 34-page letter to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Communities, announcing a judicial review of the government’s definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’. The application cites six grounds for illegality, including the use of vague concepts such as “prejudicial stereotyping” or “negative characteristics”. A Sikh organisation has simultaneously launched a crowdfunding campaign to support the legal action.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – Sikh organisation opposes the definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’
A Sikh organisation has launched a crowdfunding campaign to join the Free Speech Union’s legal challenge against the government’s definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’, arguing that this vague legal concept threatens freedom of expression on religious matters.
Read in this edition → - European Parliament – debate on the objectives brotherists
An event held at the European Parliament, reported by the European Times, focused on the objectives of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in Europe and beyond, following the US federal designation of the Lebanese, Jordanian, Egyptian and Sudanese chapters.
Read in this edition → - United States – Indiana University acknowledges institutional links with a ‘sham charity’ linked to Hamas
Following a letter from eight elected representatives from Indiana, the university confirmed that its Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (MPI) had organised joint training sessions in July 2025 and January 2026, in Istanbul and Indonesia, joint training sessions with Hayat Yolu, which was designated on 12 March 2026 by OFAC as a ‘sham charity’ funding Hamas. The university has suspended the programme’s activities and announced a review of all its partnerships.
Read in this edition → - Indiana University – suspension of MPI partnerships
The internal investigation conducted by Indiana University concluded that its Muslim Philanthropy Initiative had not breached federal or state law, as its activities with Hayat Yolu had ceased prior to the OFAC designation on 12 March. The university has, however, suspended new partnerships, reviewed existing collaborations and announced a strengthening of its due diligence procedures.
Read in this edition → - JNS – national coverage of the IU / Hayat Yolu case
The Jewish News Syndicate has documented the timeline of exchanges between the MPI and Hayat Yolu, noting that the OFAC designation of 12 March concerned four Turkish ‘sham charities’ that had provided ‘significant material support’ to Hamas.
Read in this edition → - France – Nuñez addresses the Senate regarding his ‘clumsy’ remarks at the Grand Mosque of Paris
The Home Secretary acknowledged that he had used “clumsy wording” during his speech on 12 March at the Grand Mosque of Paris, where he had spoken of “developing” and “raising awareness of” Islam. He reaffirmed his personal opposition to the veil for young girls whilst maintaining the course of his separatism bill, expected in late April in the Council of Ministers.
Read in this edition → - Belgium – Brussels downplays the threat brotherist despite the French report of May 2025
A report by the Belgian State Security Service, published in mid-April, acknowledges that the Muslim Brotherhood ultimately aim to establish an Islamic regime but concludes that they do not pose “an immediate threat”. The text directly contradicts the French report of May 2025, which identified Belgium as the European hub of the movement. Florence Bergeaud-Blackler sees this as a sign of the Belgian security services’ “helplessness” in the face of non-violent ideological subversion.
Read in this edition → - Turkey – The Diyanet has stopped sending imams and is now training its European staff locally
At a hearing before a Turkish parliamentary subcommittee on 2 April, the Diyanet outlined its strategy for circumventing European restrictions: rather than sending imams from Turkey, it now trains students from the diaspora locally through its International Theology Programme (UIP) and then redeploys them on local contracts. The scheme has built up a network of 1,243 graduates from 15 countries.
Read in this edition → - Italy – deportation of a Pakistani imam
The Italian authorities have deported Imam Ali Kashif from Brescia following a hidden-camera investigation in which he was filmed justifying, on religious grounds, the marriage of girls as soon as they have their first period. The prefecture cited a threat to public order, against the backdrop of preparations for an Italian law against Islamist separatism.
Read in this edition → - Spain – mass regularisation
The Sánchez government has regularised the status of more than 500,000 undocumented migrants, granting them access to citizenship and subsequently to freedom of movement within the Schengen Area. Several analyses have raised concerns about the impact on the spread of Islamist networks across the EU.
Read in this edition → - United States – MEMRI calls for a US federal designation of Muslim Brotherhood
In a report authored by Steven Stalinsky, Executive Director of MEMRI, the think tank notes that the Muslim Brotherhood have already been designated as a terrorist organisation by three Arab countries (Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia) but not by Washington. The study documents the operational presence of the Brotherhood’s networks in the United States, Europe (France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Ireland) and as far afield as Argentina, and sets out seven recommendations for coordinated US federal action.
Read in this edition → - New York – foiled attack in Brooklyn
The Department of Justice has announced the guilty plea of Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Canada, who has admitted to attempting to enter the United States to carry out an Islamic State-inspired mass shooting at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, planned to coincide with the anniversary of the Hamas attacks on 7 October.
Read in this edition → - Australia – Douglas Murray looks back at Tariq Ramadan’s rise and legal downfall
In *The Spectator Australia*, Douglas Murray examines the Paris Criminal Court’s sentencing of Hassan al-Banna’s grandson to 18 years’ imprisonment in absentia (25 March). The article focuses less on the downfall than on the rise: how did an intellectual of dubious credentials become the official ‘moderate Muslim’ of Western chancelleries and universities, at the cost of speaking with a forked tongue depending on his audience?
Read in this edition → - Anti-Semitic Preachers – a political journal
An analysis examines Canberra’s decision to revoke the visa of the Bangladeshi preacher Shaykh Ahmadullah and questions the ability of democracies to adopt a common approach towards foreign Islamist preachers.
Read in this edition → - France – Le Bourget RAMF granted approval at the last minute by the Administrative Court
Less than two hours before the event was due to begin, the Paris Administrative Court suspended the prefectural order banning the event, issued at the request of Laurent Nuñez, thereby allowing the 40th Annual Gathering of French Muslims to go ahead at the Bourget Exhibition Centre (3–6 April). The judge hearing the application for interim relief ruled that the risks to public order cited – terrorist attack, counter-demonstrations – were not “established” by the evidence submitted. The event, organised by Musulmans de France (formerly UOIF, close to Muslim Brotherhood), took place under tight security.
Read in this edition → - France – Nuñez unveils a new bill against Islamist separatism
The Home Secretary has announced a bill to be presented to the Cabinet at the end of April, extending the 2021 law. It provides for the accelerated dissolution of Islamist organisations, the administrative freezing of assets, a ban on children’s books inciting hatred, and tighter controls on collective care facilities for minors. The announcement coincided with the ban and subsequent judicial authorisation of the Bourget gathering.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – Henry Jackson Society Report
Emma Schubart’s report continues to have political repercussions: Nigel Farage and Restore Britain are calling for the ban on Muslim Brotherhood, arguing that current British policy is “based on outdated assessments”. Labour remains silent.
Read in this edition → - Turkey / Europe – a tougher stance towards the Diyanet
Nordic Monitor reveals, based on a Turkish parliamentary hearing, that several European governments (Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, France) have tightened their financial and religious controls over the Diyanet, which deploys 2,430 agents abroad to further Ankara’s political agenda.
Read in this edition → - United States – Chip Roy introduces a bill to designate CAIR as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’
The Texan representative has introduced the ‘Designating Hamas Affiliates in America Act of 2026’, which aims to place the Council on American-Islamic Relations on the federal list of global terrorist organisations. The bill provides for the freezing of assets, the revocation of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and a ban on any US citizen interacting with the organisation. The bill is part of a growing federal crackdown on networks linked to Muslim Brotherhood, following designations in Texas and Florida.
Read in this edition → - United States – Florida: DeSantis signs into law the bill designating CAIR as a terrorist organisation
Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill empowering the state to designate organisations as ‘terrorist’ and to expel students who support them. The bill explicitly targets CAIR, which was already the subject of an executive order blocked by a federal judge in January. The law, however, is proceeding as planned and has drawn fierce criticism regarding freedom of expression and due process.
Read in this edition → - Muslim Association of Canada – Al-Aqsa campaign
The MAC, which has for several years been identified as one of the key hubs of the brotherist movement in North America, has issued an official statement condemning Israeli restrictions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and has mobilised its local networks for a national campaign.
Read in this edition → - Australia – visa revoked for a Bangladeshi preacher
Canberra has revoked the visa of the preacher Shaykh Ahmadullah for making anti-Semitic remarks, preventing him from going ahead with his tour of Australia. The Home Office is considering a permanent ban; the preacher is also linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, an ideological offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood.
Read in this edition → - France – Tariq Ramadan sentenced in absentia to 18 years’ imprisonment for rape
The Paris Criminal Court has sentenced Tariq Ramadan, grandson of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, to 18 years’ imprisonment, accompanied by an international arrest warrant and a permanent ban from French territory. Absent from his trial since it began on medical grounds contested by forensic experts, the former star preacher has taken refuge in Switzerland. The verdict brings a chapter to a close: that of a figure who, for two decades, was the intellectually respectable face of brotherist discourse in Europe.
Read in this edition → - France – Florence Bergeaud-Blackler: “The Muslim Brotherhood are hatching their eggs in the LFI nest”
In the wake of a resounding victory for LFI in Roubaix, driven by the Muslim vote, the anthropologist elaborates on CNEWS his theory of ‘brood parasitism’: the Muslim Brotherhood are said to be infiltrating established host parties to incubate their political objectives there, sheltered from accusations of Islamophobia. An analysis that continues the ideological battle sparked by the ministerial report of May 2025.
Read in this edition → - Nice – defamation complaint filed by an imam
Otmane Aïssaoui, president of the Union of Muslims of the Alpes-Maritimes, has filed a complaint against Gilbert Collard, CNews and the newspaper Frontières, who have accused him of having close ties with the Muslim Brotherhood following the first round of the municipal elections in Nice. The case places the legal dispute surrounding the label “brotherist” at the heart of the municipal campaigns.
Read in this edition → - United Kingdom – Labour urged to ban Muslim Brotherhood following the Henry Jackson Society report
At the end of March, the Henry Jackson Society think tank published a report by Emma Schubart calling for the banning of Muslim Brotherhood in the UK. The report argues that British policy “is based on outdated assessments” and criticises a “permissive operating environment” in the face of gradual infiltration into institutions. Reform UK and Restore Britain support the ban; Labour is being publicly called upon to act.
Read in this edition → - Italy – report on ‘no-go zones’
The New Direction Foundation (European Conservatives) has published a report highlighting the over-representation of the Muslim population in seven European countries. Fratelli d'Italia has seized on this to denounce the formation of ‘parallel societies’ and call for an Italian law against separatism.
Read in this edition → - Washington Post Opinion Piece – Europe Under Influence
An opinion piece published on 26 March highlights the growth of brotherist networks in Europe, in contrast to their decline in the Middle East; this has been picked up by the American press to bolster the case for a federal ban.
Read in this edition → - US Department of State – Sudanese designation
Following the designation of the Lebanese, Jordanian and Egyptian chapters in January, Washington designated the Muslim Brotherhood Sudanese group as a terrorist organisation on 16 March, continuing its campaign of pressure ahead of the legislative push in April.
Read in this edition → - Canada – Independent report finds the Muslim Association of Canada’s tax audit to be ‘seriously deficient’
The expert report by legal scholar Michelle Gallant (University of Manitoba), commissioned by the MAC, challenges the Canada Revenue Agency’s findings of non-compliance, the $1.3 million penalty and the recommendation to revoke charitable status in relation to allegations of affiliation with Muslim Brotherhood. The report fuels the narrative battle ahead of the parliamentary hearings.
Read in this edition → - Australia – monitoring the ban on Hizb ut-Tahrir
The authorities are continuing to implement the new anti-hate laws, which were used for the first time on 6 March against Hizb ut-Tahrir, with investigations being extended to associated networks.
Read in this edition →
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France: On 27 July, Julien Charles, the Prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis, ordered the closure for six months of the Attaqwa mosque,…
8 articles
United States: On 23 July, the Treasury Department designated Mahmoud al-Abyari, Secretary-General of the General Secretariat of…
8 articles
France: On 15 July, to mark the centenary of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Laurent Nuñez announced a national strategy to combat…
6 articles
France: on 8 July, the Douai Administrative Court of Appeal overturned the reinstatement of the partnership agreement between the…
14 articles
European Union: the Bureau of the European Parliament is reported to have excluded FEMYSO from its activities following a…
15 articles
France: *Le Monde* reports on the ‘restraint’ shown by the National Intelligence Co-ordinator (CNRLT) on the issue of Islamist…
9 articles
France: Florence Bergeaud-Blackler (CERIF) has published a response to the open letter by fifty legal experts in *Le Figaro*…
10 articles
France: the Strasbourg District Court has acquitted Florence Bergeaud-Blackler in the defamation case brought by PhD student Iman…
12 articles
Germany: Sinan Selen (BfV) alerts the Bundestag to the strategy of Muslim Brotherhood infiltrating German political parties;…
9 articles
France: Beauvau publishes her first annual report on anti-religious acts (2,489 incidents in 2025, an 88% increase in anti-Muslim…
7 articles
France: RAMO ban in Nantes upheld by the courts; ‘Aux Sources’ fair in Meyzieu banned by the mayor; Islamic Relief Deutschland…
9 articles
MAC Convention in Toronto, Sweden drops ‘Islamophobia’, BfV on pro-Palestinian platforms
15 articles
CT 2026 strategy against Muslim Brotherhood, halal and IGMG in Germany, the Karlov case
10 articles
Nuñez’s ‘entrism’ law, attacks in Golders Green, Jordanian ISP renamed
9 articles
Muslim Brotherhood at the CNOUS: Europe versus Diyanet, Al-Jazeera under discussion
7 articles
European Commission and brotherism, Hezbollah in Europe, Indiana University
9 articles
Brussels is playing for time, Nuñez is backing down, Ankara is making its position clear
9 articles
Le Bourget reopens, Nuñez strikes back, Washington targets CAIR
8 articles
Tariq Ramadan sentenced, London called into question, MAC audit contested
9 articles
CERIF Observatory – automatically generated weekly publication, approved by the editorial team.
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