Muslim Brotherhood

MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

France on Edge: Macron Demands "Concrete Solutions" on Islamist Threat

President warns of rising Islamist radicalism in poor suburbs, demands “concrete solutions” as national unity feels under threat

JFeed
July 7, 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron convened a high-level emergency security meeting at the Élysée Palace on Monday to address what he called the “strategic threat” of Muslim Brotherhood infiltration into vulnerable neighborhoods across the country.

This marks the second such meeting in recent months, following a similar session in May which, according to Macron, failed to produce meaningful action. Frustrated by the lack of progress, the president demanded that his ministers now present “concrete proposals” to curb the spread of Islamist ideology, particularly in impoverished suburbs.

The meeting was initiated by Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and attended by top officials including the education and sports ministers. According to government sources, Macron was angered by leaks to the press regarding the classified security report that triggered the meeting. The report detailed what officials are calling a “quiet ideological takeover” in certain urban zones, warning that these trends pose a direct risk to the unity of the French Republic.

While Macron stressed that not all Muslims in France should be lumped together, he underlined the need to take ideological subversion seriously. “There’s a difference between legitimate criticism and deliberate blindness,” he said, cautioning against both panic and complacency.

The political reactions have been deeply divided. Left-wing parties accused Macron of stigmatizing entire communities, warning that his rhetoric could inflame tensions. Meanwhile, the far-right National Rally (RN) party led by Marine Le Pen blasted the government for being too soft, calling for sweeping action, including banning certain Islamic organizations, cutting public funding to religious NGOs, and revoking legal recognition from groups with suspected extremist ties.

Within Macron’s inner circle, discussions are underway about forming a dedicated intelligence unit focused exclusively on Islamist activity and possibly establishing a special legal body empowered to take administrative action against radical groups—bypassing slow criminal proceedings.

Reports indicate Macron aims to unveil a clear and assertive policy before the French Parliament reconvenes for its winter session. A formal ban on the Muslim Brotherhood is reportedly under consideration, mirroring similar moves already enacted in Jordan and other countries.

As France grapples with rising extremism, demographic shifts, and growing political polarization, the battle over what defines “republican values” may soon become one of the most defining debates of Macron’s presidency.

Jordan bans Muslim Brotherhood after arrests over attack plots

23 April 2025
David Gritten
BBC News

Jordan's government has banned the Muslim Brotherhood a week after it said members of the Islamist group had been arrested on suspicion of planning rocket and drone attacks.

Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya told a news conference that all of the Brotherhood's offices would be closed and its assets confiscated, and that any activities would be considered illegal.

There was no immediate response from the Brotherhood, which denied any links to the alleged attack plots.

It is not clear how the ban will affect the group's political arm, the Islamic Action Front, which is the largest opposition group in parliament. But its headquarters was raided by police following Faraya's announcement.

The IAF's secretary general, Wael Saqqa, insisted that it was an independent political party, explaining that it had "no relationship with any other organisational body".

"We always declare that we are committed to order, the law, and the provisions of the constitution," he said.

In 2020, Jordan's top court ruled that the Brotherhood was "dissolved" because it had not settled its legal status.

However, the group continued its political and other activities, and the IAF participated in last year's parliamentary elections, winning 31 out of the 138 seats.

Last week, Jordan's General Intelligence Department said it had arrested 16 people suspected of planning attacks aimed at "targeting national security, sowing chaos and sabotage".

They involved possession of explosives and automatic weapons, the manufacture of rockets, the concealment of one rocket ready to be launched, a project to manufacture drones, and the training of individuals both in Jordan and abroad, it said.

Faraya claimed during Wednesday's news conference that members of the Brotherhood "operate in the shadows and engage in activities that could undermine stability and security".

Authorities had found "explosives and weapons transported between Jordanian cities and stored in residential areas", as well as covert rocket manufacturing facilities and training and recruitment operations, he alleged.

He also said Brotherhood members had attempted to remove and destroy documents from their headquarters "in an effort to conceal their activities and suspicious affiliations".

The group has denied having any involvement in, or knowledge of, the alleged attack plot and stressed that it is "committed to its peaceful approach".

The Brotherhood was founded in Egypt almost 100 years ago and has local branches across the world. One of its aims is to create a state ruled by Islamic law, or Sharia.

It is outlawed in Egypt and several Arab countries, whose governments see it as a threat.

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