The Muslim Brotherhood in Sweden (21)

This week, we translated an article on the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) in France dealing with a governmental report just published on the threat of the Brotherhood.

That report has also caught the attention of the Swedes, where the MB is well-entrenced in Swedish society and institutions.

The below article from the Swedish site, Ledarsedarna, one of the most authoritative sources on the MB in Sweden, deals largely with the French report, but ties it in with its implications for Sweden.

This is the latest in our continuing series of translations from original European articles and the 21st such article on the MB in Sweden.

Friday, 23 May 2025

French report confirms Swedish examinations

A French report on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood caused Labor Minister Mats Persson (Liberal Party) to take action yesterday by calling on a group of experts. (This) despite the fact that he himself, on several occasions, has received supporting information, which, in practice, gives the same information as to the Swedish situation: That the Muslim Brotherhood is established at all levels of Swedish society.

A new government report, “The Muslim Brotherhood’s Islamist policy in France”, which is published in France, shows that the Muslim Brotherhood’s radical interpretation of Islam is more widespread than what the country’s politicians had thought, which was reported, among others, by SR/Ekot (Swedish Radio Ekot). President Emmanuel Macron is directing the French government to develop proposals to halt the spread.

Investigators warn of an Islamism that is spread from below and where religion permeates all aspects of life and is largely financed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Since the report mentions Sweden, among others, the Labor Minister, Mats Persson (L), stated that he intended to appoint a Swedish committee of experts to get to the bottom of the issue.

The report highlights the Muslim Brotherhood as an advanced and long-term actor that adjusts its ideology to fit Western contexts, at the same time as it maintains its subversive goals. 

In France, its influence is especially strong at the local level, where they build ecosystems that challenge secularism and social cohesion. Sweden is named as a country where similar mapping is needed, but without giving specific details. The financial aspects are central, with connections to foreign sources and organizations like Hamas, which demand international cooperation to counter it.

Economic network finances terror

The French report underlines the importance of combining repressive measures with positive initiatives to integrate Muslim citizens and counter the appeal of Islamism.

The report mentions that the Brotherhood’s French branch, Muslims of France, has received financing from foreign sources, especially Qatar, through capital and real estate properties (SCI). One example is the Al-Wakf fund, which was dissolved on the grounds of illegal financing of religious activities. This shows a strategy of concealed financing through complex structures in order to avoid inspection.

The report points out connections between the Brotherhood’s French activities and Hamas, especially through associations like Humani’Terre, earlier called  Comité de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens (Committee for charity and aid to the Palestinians (CBSP).) This association is under investigation for suspected financing of terrorism based on its ties to Hamas.

The Brotherhood’s European branch, Conseil des musulmanes européens (Committee of European Muslims (CEM), is connected to financial structures like Europe Trust, which functions as a financial actor for the network.

The French report does not take up anything not (covered) by Dr Sameh Egyptson, Professor Magnus Ranstorp, or described in Johan Westerholm’s “Islamism in Sverige” (Islamism in Sweden). Contrary to what the French report suggests, knowledge about the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities is good in many places. Islamism in Sweden has been used for some time by the (Swedish) National Agency for Education as a base of knowledge in granting permits to free schools (Several have had their permits withdrawn) as well as, among others, grounds for Gothenburg withdrawing municipal support last year for the Ibn Rushd Study Association, which is one of the Brotherhood’s network organizations.  

Updating knowledge

The French report should be seen as part of an update on what the Brotherhood’s European network looks like, and not least serve as a reminder at the Swedish political level, and not least Mats Persson himself, that every member of the Parliament has received personal copies of Egyptson’s and Westerholm’s respective books, as well as several opportunities to listen to experts such as Magnus Ranstorp, Magnus Norell, and several others.  

The state of research and knowledge in Sweden about the Mulsim Brotherhood is good. What is lacking is how the political level, including Mats Persson, chooses to implement the knowledge that is there into pursued policies, as well as how the Public Service, among others, chooses to release the expertise in common news reporting and debate.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Sweden is currently in the news because its Turkish counterpart, Milli Görus, intends to build  (Scandinavia’s) largest mosque in Skärholmen (Stockholm). It was the close contacts with Milli Görus that forced Mehmet Kaplan (Green Party) to resign as housing minister in 2016.

The German security service (BfD) has demanded a terrorist classification for Milli Görus, and in January 2021, closed several of the organization’s and the Brotherhood’s mosques in a nationwide raid in Germany.

Extra material

Extra material for subscribers is the French report on the Muslim Brotherhood that caused President Macron to act and the Swedish Labor Minister to react.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-muslim-brotherhood-in-sweden-21.html