A confidential report recently submitted to the Minister of the Interior stated that the Muslim Brotherhood would pursue a long-term ideological strategy in France aimed at establishing Sharia law, through a discreet, diversified, and territorialized presence. Written by a prefect and an ambassador at the joint request of the Ministries of the Interior, the Armed Forces, and Foreign Affairs, this 73-page document offered a detailed map of what its authors considered a diffuse but structured threat. They indicated that they had conducted ten missions in France and several in Europe between January and June 2024, supported by the diplomatic network. Some forty academics of different persuasions were reportedly consulted, as well as Muslim leaders, including some belonging to the Muslim Federation of France, frequently perceived as the main emanation of the Brotherhood in the country. The report also noted close exchanges with the intelligence services and several government departments.
A network implementation, in the form of an association
The authors of the report mentioned a "Muslim Brotherhood risk," fueled, according to them, by a growing sense of Islamophobia among some Muslims in France, the spread of a rigorous Islam in some twenty departments, and the influence of the conflict in Gaza. They believed that the Muslim Brotherhood was carrying out a phased action, combining re-Islamization, communitarianism, and even institutional subversion. The report listed approximately 140 places of worship affiliated with Muslims of France, to which were added more than 60 other places considered related, spread across 55 departments. Although the federation claimed a much smaller number of member associations, the services estimated that nearly 280 organizations—in the fields of worship, education, social assistance, and even finance—were operating within the movement. A core leadership, described as an "inner circle," was said to comprise between 400 and 1 people. The rapporteurs also pointed to financial flows from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, up until 000, which were used to finance projects in Strasbourg, Lille, Mulhouse, Marseille, Villeneuve-d'Ascq and several mosques in Seine-Saint-Denis.
The education sector, a strategic priority
According to the document, education is a central focus for the Islamist movement. As of the start of the 2023 school year, 21 schools have reportedly been identified as being directly or indirectly linked to the movement, with an estimated total of 4 students. Some of these, such as the Averroès high school in Lille and the Al Kindi school in Décines, are said to play a structuring role in their local environment. Reports of educational resources deemed contrary to the values of the Republic have reportedly been noted, particularly in the case of the Averroès high school, which has already been targeted by a request to terminate its association contract with the State. The report also mentioned irregularities in funding from foreign religious funds and the presence of religious works deemed incompatible with secular principles.
