25 November 2025
On Sunday, Manel Msalmi addressed a crowd in front of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. As president of the European Association for the Defence of Minorities, Manel Msalmi urged European and international institutions to take decisive steps against the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on the continent.
Lessons from other countries
Manel Msalmi pointed to the track record of the movement in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Wherever radical Islamists gained ground, democracy and individual freedoms vanished. The same methods are now being applied in Europe, Manel Msalmi warned.
Recent reports raise the alarm
On 20 November the European Parliament released a report that explicitly describes the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to peace and security in Europe. One month earlier, French intelligence published an extensive study on Islamist networks in France, Belgium and beyond. The document shows how the organisation has penetrated media, business, politics and civil-society groups, using human rights and the fight against Islamophobia as a cover for its real aim: the introduction of sharia law and the establishment of a caliphate.
Belgium as European hub
The French report identifies Belgium as the main European base of the Muslim Brotherhood. Parliament member Darya Safai stated that five Brussels municipalities are already under the movement’s influence. Counter-terrorism judge Paul Dhaeyer confirmed the active presence of the organisation in the country. On 4 June, Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden told parliament that the long-term strategy causes concern, yet no in-depth Belgian report is planned.
Manel Msalmi stressed that groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah have found shelter in Europe and are fuelling hatred, particularly against Jews. Political Islam, Manel Msalmi made clear, has nothing to do with Islam as a religion of peace, tolerance and coexistence. Moderate Muslims, she said, have a duty to speak out against any extremist agenda that damages the image of well-integrated believers.
Sources:
Speech by Manel Msalmi, European Association for the Defence of Minorities
Protest outside the ICC, The Hague
European Parliament report 20 November
French intelligence report
Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security
Belgian parliamentary question 4 June
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