France’s top intelligence official has raised serious concerns about the growing influence of the Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, in the country. According to Bertrand Chamoulaud, who leads the National Directorate for Territorial Intelligence, the group has been steadily gaining power and is now working to turn France into a part of a larger “caliphate” governed by strict Islamic law, known as Sharia.
Chamoulaud revealed that more than 100,000 people attend mosques controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood in France. Rather than using violence, the group spreads its message through subtle tactics, building support by appealing to local tensions and positioning themselves as victims of discrimination. This has helped them gain followers and influence in various sectors, including education, healthcare, and even sports.
One of the ways the Muslim Brotherhood has been gaining ground is by taking advantage of social issues and presenting themselves as victims of “Islamophobia.” Whenever a mosque is closed or an extremist imam is expelled, the group uses the situation to fuel outrage, convincing many that they are being unfairly targeted.
Chamoulaud explained that this narrative is dangerous, as it could sway moderate Muslims to support the Brotherhood’s cause, believing they are being treated unjustly. He also pointed to the now-defunct Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), a group that was dissolved in 2020 after being accused of promoting Islamist views, as an example of how the Brotherhood’s ideas are spreading.
The Muslim Brotherhood is not just a local problem for France. It is a global organization that aims to establish Islamic law in all aspects of life. Founded in Egypt in 1928, it is banned in several countries, including some European nations, due to its extremist links. France, which has a population of nearly 7 million Muslims, is particularly vulnerable because Islam is the country’s second-largest religion.
French President Emmanuel Macron has responded to the growing threat by cracking down on what he calls Islamist separatism. His government has introduced measures to limit foreign influence over Muslim institutions in France, hoping to curb the rise of radicalism and protect the country from extremist ideologies.
The rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups in France is alarming, and many fear that if the trend continues, France and possibly other European countries could see their societies dramatically changed by the imposition of Sharia law. It is a situation that has put the country’s leaders on high alert, as they try to balance religious freedom with national security.
With the Muslim Brotherhood’s ambitions growing, France is at a crossroads, and only time will tell if the country can resist this growing influence.
