Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia | |
Mufti who negotiated with occupiers of Rostov pretrial detention center detained by FSB | |
2025-05-30 | |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] In the Rostov region, law enforcement officers detained self-proclaimed mufti Akhmed Abusupyanov on suspicion of extremism, who in 2023 negotiated with terrorists who seized the Rostov pretrial detention center No. 1. This was reported on May 29 by the Kommersant publication, citing a source in law enforcement agencies. ![]() The interlocutor told journalists that the detainee collaborated with the extremist organization At-Takfir Wal-Hijra
A criminal case was opened against the detainee under Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code (“Organization of the activities of an extremist organization”) and Part 2 of Article 213 (“Hooliganism”). It is noted that the Rostov FSB department reported the suppression of the activities of a Russian citizen who was spreading radical religious views. According to the investigation, he incited interfaith strife and conflicted with official Islamic structures. The department did not report the name of the detainee. As reported by the Regnum news agency, in June 2023, six prisoners managed to escape from their cell in Pretrial Detention Center No. 1 in Rostov-on-Don and took an operational department employee and a guard hostage. The attackers, who called themselves ISIS supporters (an organization whose activities are banned in the Russian Federation), demanded that they be provided with weapons and transport to escape. OMON fighters arrived at the scene. According to the official statement of the Federal Penitentiary Service, all the attackers were neutralized, and the hostages were released without physical harm. It was later revealed that one of the participants in the capture survived - Daniil Kamnev (listed as a terrorist and extremist). In August 2024, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Related: At-Takfir Val-Hijra: 2025-05-20 Six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia accused of involvement in 'At Takfir wal-Hijra' At-Takfir Val-Hijra: 2024-05-30 Six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia were arrested in connection with extremism At-Takfir Val-Hijra: 2024-02-14 A native of Dagestan faces the threat of deportation from Turkey | |
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Europe | ||||||||
French experts say Sweden has become a base for jihadist gangs | ||||||||
2025-05-29 | ||||||||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Victor Lavrinenko [REGNUM] Recently, an expert report on the activities of the extremist group Muslim Brotherhood (an organization banned in the Russian Federation) in the EU, prepared at the request of the French government, was published. The strengthening of Islamist extremists is observed not only in France itself, but also in some other EU countries, ![]() The authors of a report prepared for the French government warn that the extremist Muslim Brotherhood* movement has gained a foothold in the country, threatening both the values of local secular society and the safety of ordinary citizens. It has been estimated that the group controls at least 200 mosques in France and has hundreds of subsidiaries. The report stresses that the further growth of the influence of radical Islamism will have devastating consequences for the country. At the same time, the document did not ignore the situation in other EU countries, where Islamists feel especially at ease. First of all, Sweden was named among these countries, where, according to French experts, very favorable conditions have been created for Islamic radicals.
The report explains this as follows: “The favourable position of the Muslim Brotherhood* in Sweden is explained by the great tolerance of Swedish multiculturalism and the good relations between the movement and local political parties, especially the Swedish Social Democrats.” SWEDEN'S REACTION In Sweden itself, the report did not go unnoticed. Local Labour Minister Mats Persson has announced that he is putting together his own expert group to draw up a full picture of the spread of radical Islamism in the country.
The Swedish Social Democratic Party is alarmed - they deny that they have supported or assisted extremists in any way.
At the same time, the Swedes remember how the “social democrats”, in the name of their misunderstood “tolerance”, while they headed the government from 2014 to 2022, opened the country’s doors wide to migrants from “third world” countries. It is not surprising that Sweden was the third country in Europe after Belgium and Austria from which the largest number of Muslims left to fight for the Islamic State*.
Experts have been sounding the alarm about the radicalization of Sweden's Muslim community for a long time. Back in 2018,
One of the most famous Salafi jihadists was, in particular, Osama bin Laden. Salafis advocate for the restriction of women's rights, and many of them also insist on not having friends among the "infidels" and keeping communication with them to a minimum. At the same time, as noted at the university, radicalization often goes hand in hand with ethnic crime. Criminals really like to imagine themselves as “warriors for the faith” - this is how they justify their own actions in their own eyes. "A gang of bastards walk into a grocery store. If the cashier isn't wearing a hijab, they take whatever they want without paying. They call the cashier a 'Swedish whore' and spit at her," says a police officer from the city of Västerås. "Often young Muslims ask Syrians and Kurds, restaurant or shop owners, about their religion. If the answer is 'not Islam', they are persecuted. We have also seen Muslims as young as 10 or 12 say to older Swedish women: 'We are at home here,'" he adds. In Gothenburg, Salafists demanded that Muslims not vote in local elections because it is "haram." The radicals threatened their fellow believers that they would answer "on the day of judgment" for all the actions of the dishonest politicians for whom they voted. “In some areas they raised the flag of the Islamic State (an organization whose activities are banned in the Russian Federation),” the local police shared. And there they told about the preacher Said Regea (a native of Somalia) who came from Canada and, speaking in one of the mosques in Gothenburg, emphasized the importance of “purity.” In order to maintain it, it is important, according to him, not to allow children to be interested in the customs of “Jews, Christians or Zoroastrians.” Seven years ago, the Defense University emphasized that cafes and shops owned by non-Muslims periodically become victims of vandalism, and that Christian priests are threatened with beheading. However, the radicals are no better at treating so-called "secular" Muslims who do not adhere to Salafism. They are often harshly ostracized and discriminated against in every possible way. As a result, some refugees have begun to complain that, having moved to Sweden, they are faced with scenes familiar to them from their native Iraq or Afghanistan - for example, they see three-year-old girls in niqabs. BANDIT JIHAD In addition, as already mentioned, experts from the Defense University noted the alarming fact of the fusion of religious radicalism and organized crime - sometimes jihadists and members of ethnic gangs join forces to make it easier to terrorize the surrounding population. Salafis and Islamists are actively taking control of mosques and Muslim cultural associations, as well as businesses created by former refugees, forcing them to pay tribute. At the same time, the native Swedes, for a time, simply had no idea what processes were taking place in the vicinity of their large cities, where people from Asia and Africa settled.
The text of the study ended with criticism of the Swedish authorities for their inability to put obstacles to the spread of radical ideology. In particular, examples were given from the activities of ordinary Swedish secular schools, where the administration, having yielded to the demands of radical parents, forced girls to wear hijabs. Seven years have passed since then, and the problem has become even more acute. And it’s not as if Sweden’s current moderate-conservative ruling coalition, which replaced the migrant-loving Social Democrats in 2022, is doing nothing at all to counter radicalism. For example, the authorities are closing radical Islamist schools, trying to legislate against women covering their faces, tightening entry rules, and promising migrants money to return home. The trouble is, these measures are both insufficient and long overdue. Fortunately for the Swedes, the numerous ethnic gangs do not act as a united front, otherwise the natives would have a very bad time. Criminal organizations fiercely fight each other for food supplies - they shoot and blow up competitors with enthusiasm. In this case, selfish interests are higher than empty slogans about the "unity of brothers in faith." INVASION OF NORWAY The fierce competition between Swedish gangs has already led to them, like a cancerous tumor, beginning to subjugate neighboring countries, in particular Norway. The head of the local National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos), Christine Quinje, recently addressed the government with a warning about the growing threat from organised crime. Despite all the efforts of the police, criminal networks in Norway continue to grow and develop, according to Kvinje. And although the national budget for 2024 allocated 600 million Norwegian kroner (52 million euros) to combat organised crime, according to Kvinje, this has not produced tangible results. She seriously fears that organised crime will grow to such proportions that it “will threaten democracy and the welfare state and will cause destabilisation of society.” A characteristic feature of Swedish gangs is the hiring of minors, who do not face the same harsh penalties as adults. According to police, the number of underage robbers in Oslo has doubled between 2023 and 2024. And in Norway in 2023, 21,800 criminal cases were initiated against minors, which is 28% more than in 2022. The Norwegian publication Aftenposten writes that more and more criminal elements are now appearing in this country, having managed to “leave their mark” in Sweden. According to Norwegian police inspector Yngve Myrvoll, branches of the Swedish gangs Foxtrot and Gottsunda have emerged in the country, actively recruiting young people. These gangs are involved in large-scale drug trafficking and various fraudulent operations. Foxtrot's presence in Norway was widely reported after a powerful explosion rocked the streets of the local town of Drøbak last October. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but police suspected attempted murder. Experts noted that this is a typical “Swedish manner” – it is members of Swedish criminal groups who have recently taken to blowing up competitors in the criminal business right in their homes. These suspicions were confirmed during the investigation - it turned out that the explosion was carried out by members of Foxtrot. Since then, members of this network have given Norwegians many more reasons to speak ill of them. The criminals who came from Sweden, who so often like to pose as "true Muslims", make Norway forget that until recently it was considered a peaceful and safe country., Related: Muslim Brotherhood: 2025-05-28 'Lovers quarrel.' The French are thinking about who will replace Macron Muslim Brotherhood: 2025-05-27 Watch: Macron's Wife Filmed Pushing Him in the Face During Vietnam Trip Muslim Brotherhood: 2025-05-25 Sweden to Investigate 'Islamist Infiltration' After Muslim Brotherhood Report [from France] Related: Salafist: 2025-05-28 Israel and Syria holding face-to-face meetings at border to calm tensions Salafist: 2025-05-28 Palestinian clans are looking to join Abraham Accords after Oct. 7. Salafist: 2025-05-24 Iran-backed Palestinian terror groups said to leave Syria under pressure from Sharaa Related: Ethnic gang 05/27/2025 Australia fast-tracks machete ban after shopping centre attack Ethnic gang 03/26/2025 All that's left is to trust in God and Trump: Swedes can't defeat the migrant mafia Ethnic gang 09/20/2024 'Historic Event': Swedes Invent New Way to Get Rid of Migrants Related: Swedish gang 05/01/2025 Iran hangs 'high-ranking spy' for Israel Swedish gang 04/29/2025 Sweden sentences four teens over shooting attack on Israeli defense company Swedish gang 04/10/2025 Iran directed teens who attacked Israel’s embassy in Stockholm last May, police says | ||||||||
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Europe |
'Lovers quarrel.' The French are thinking about who will replace Macron |
2025-05-28 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Olesya Orlenko [REGNUM] The start of French President Emmanuel Macron's Asia-Pacific tour was positioned as a continuation of the head of state's wise strategy in the region and pursued ambitious political goals. But it began with a scandalous scene of a family squabble. ![]() The reaction of both Macron himself and his administration has only worsened the situation. It will not remain without political consequences. Official events within the framework of Emmanuel Macron's visit to Vietnam began on May 26. This is the fifth visit of the head of the French Republic to this country, diplomatic relations with which were established in 1973. During all previous visits, the parties concluded profitable contracts for investments by French businesses related to the purchase of civil aircraft, urban transport, construction of railways and highways, etc. This time, a contract was also signed with private airline Vietjet to purchase aircraft from Airbus. And the French delegation includes representatives of such major companies in the energy, trade and defense sectors as EDF, Dassault Aviation, Naval Group and CMA GCM. However, Vietnam is not the same as it was ten years ago. Now it is one of the most dynamically developing countries in the Asian region. Vietnam is diversifying its relations, building partnerships with many countries, including Russia. France is undoubtedly an important partner for him, but its influence has declined in recent years. The main foreign investments in the country come from Singapore and China. Moreover, the share of French investments among EU countries is far from leading. France is in fourth place, behind even the Netherlands and Denmark. The former colonizer's cultural influence has also fallen significantly: today, less than 1% of Vietnam's population speaks French. It is no surprise that Vietnamese media, covering Macron's visit, note that this time it is France that needs Vietnam, rather than the other way around. On May 28, Macron is expected in Indonesia, and on May 30, he will attend the largest Shangri-La Dialogue forum, which is taking place in Singapore and is dedicated to defense issues. During all his visits, the French President intends to promote two ideas: to convince his partners of France's decisive role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to persuade them to actively take Ukraine's side in the war that has now lasted 11 years. The Middle East issue is likely to be a hot topic in Indonesia, whose predominantly Muslim population sympathizes with the humanitarian tragedy of the people of Gaza. But, apart from Macron’s declarations about the need to create a Palestinian state, France has taken no steps to resolve the conflict. And the main actor in the peace process is the United States. As for the Ukrainian issue, it is obvious to everyone that Europe, having exhausted its resources, is looking for new sources of financing military actions. Countries whose main task is their own development do not benefit from interfering in a confrontation that requires huge expenditures and brings only damage, not dividends. Moreover, France’s weight and Macron’s authority in the region leave much to be desired. The termination of the contract with Naval Group for the construction of submarines for the Australian Navy in 2021 and the internal problems of New Caledonia, where a civil war has been going on for more than a year, which the French authorities are unable to stop, also had an impact. A logical question arises: is Macron aware of how those around him perceive him? The scene, caught on camera by journalists, of the French president being beaten by his wife before exiting the plane, has flown around the world. But the main thing was not even the incident itself, but the fact that both the president and his administration initially denied the authenticity of the video. And only then did such explanations as "relaxation", "foolishness", etc. follow. Macron's recent rise in ratings after record lows has undoubtedly had a dizzying effect on him. It has affected his foreign policy activities, particularly in the Ukrainian direction. But the overall picture remains dismal. His exclusive interviews, presented as a high-profile media event, are spoken of in the spirit of "the president spent three hours saying that nothing would change." And some publications directly call the president a laughing stock. In this situation, the question inevitably arises of who could replace Macron at the head of France. The French press has become increasingly frequent in publishing articles about the participants in the next presidential campaign. And although there are still two years left until the election of the country's leader, potential candidates are declaring their intentions and trying to work on their image. The Ipsos polling institute has published a study according to which the French prefer the classic right and center. Among the most popular candidates for the post of president are the head of the pro-presidential party "Renaissance", former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, the mayor of Le Havre and the founder of the "Horizons" party Edouard Philippe, the Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin, as well as the Minister of the Interior Bruno Retaillo. By the way, Retaillo's intentions are more than serious. After all, he already allows himself to speak publicly on issues that are beyond the competence of his department. An example is his statements about diplomatic relations with Algeria, which caused indignation on the part of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. One can also recall his behavior after the report on the penetration of the Muslim Brotherhood (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) into France, which was heard by the Defense Council under the presidential administration on May 21. Following this report, Retailo spoke to journalists, where he assessed the seriousness of the problem and made public some of the text's points without coordinating this with the president and without waiting for the official publication of the document. Another Ipsos study shows the possibility of a scenario where a National Rally candidate will enter the second round with one of the above-mentioned candidates. Moreover, both Marine Le Pen and the current party leader Jordan Bardell have equal chances of this. Parties that identify themselves as left-wing are expected to field Jean-Luc Mélenchon and Raphaël Glucksmann, with some on the left calling for primaries next year to determine candidates that will attract the support of a majority of the left. However, oddly enough, even Macron himself has political ambitions. Of course, he can't run for a third term. But he told reporters a few weeks ago that after the end of his second term he would "think about" running in the 2032 campaign. This assumption may cause laughter now, but French history knows various examples. When François Hollande left the presidency in 2017, everyone considered him a political corpse, so disastrous was his rule. And yet, in the last snap parliamentary elections in 2024, he won in his district. And now he gradually appears in the media, commenting on the current political situation. It’s not that he has “reformed.” It’s just that the situation in France is so bad that even his leadership over time seems tolerable compared to what is happening now. It’s entirely possible that in seven years, the French will look back with nostalgia on Macron, too. |
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Europe |
Watch: Macron's Wife Filmed Pushing Him in the Face During Vietnam Trip |
2025-05-27 |
[Breitbart] In subsequent images, Macron and his wife, wearing a red jacket, appeared at the top of the stairs. He offered an arm but she didn’t take it. They walked down the carpeted stairs side by side. Video via youtube.com Could not pick up the embed code...sorry. Related: Macron 05/23/2025 French Report Warns Of Islamist / Muslim Brotherhood 'Entryism' As Risk To National Cohesion Macron 05/21/2025 France looks to ban children from wearing Muslim headscarf as government tackles 'political Islamism' Macron 05/20/2025 Lessons for the West and Kyiv: Don't forget that Russia can fight for a long time |
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Europe |
Sweden to Investigate 'Islamist Infiltration' After Muslim Brotherhood Report [from France] |
2025-05-25 |
![]() A French intelligence report published this week by the Ministry of Interior warned of Islamist fifth columns embedded across Europe, with EU institutions, Muslim associations, and migrant communities all falling prey to a vast network of sworn Muslim Brotherhood members operating in plain sight, often using Western liberal values to veil their nefarious aims in a shroud of legitimacy. While the report focused heavily on the Brotherhood’s activities in France and the EU, the Paris intel identified numerous other countries throughout Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The report also said that “evidence collected attests to the active presence of the movement” in Northern European countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Following its publication, Swedish Minister for Integration Mats Persson said: “I will convene an expert group to get a picture of the situation of Islamist infiltration in Sweden. This is against the background of what has emerged in France.” “Sweden is mentioned in the French report and in many respects has similar challenges to France in terms of integration and counteracting parallel social structures that challenge liberal democracy,” he added. Persson went on to say that the government will “strangle foreign funding of religious communities, where states fund radical mosques” to push back against “these Islamist and undemocratic forces.” According to the French report, Sweden “hosts an active branch of the movement which, in addition to its small size, is characterised by its influence on European movement structures.” The Muslim Brotherhood’s operation in Sweden accomplished this influence with the backing of money from Qatar, Paris claimed. Additionally, Sweden appears to have been an easy target for the Islamist movement given the Nordic nation’s “great tolerance of multiculturalism,” the report found. The French government investigation also alleged that the Muslim Brotherhood took advantage of “good relations” with local political parties, particularly the Swedish Social Democratic Party, the traditional party of government in Stockholm, which oversaw the vast majority of recent mass migration into the country. Social Democrats Party Secretary Tobias Baudin said that the report “does not elaborate” on the alleged ties between his left-wing party and the Muslim Brotherhood, but said: “We have zero tolerance for association with extremist organisations. That line is crystal clear in our party.” However, some have noted that just last year, the leftist party was forced to expel one of its members of parliament, Jamal El-Haj, over his alleged ties to Hamas and for reportedly attempting to lobby the Swedish Migration Agency on behalf of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked Imam to remain in the country. “Jamal El-Haj is no longer a member of our party. It is because we are clear: There should be no interaction with extremist organisations,” Baudin said. |
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Europe | ||||||
French Report Warns Of Islamist / Muslim Brotherhood 'Entryism' As Risk To National Cohesion | ||||||
2025-05-23 | ||||||
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Secularism is a core tenet of France's national identity. According to an Élysée official speaking off the record, there is a "new phenomenon - entryism - which is different from separatism". While separatism implied Muslims living in a parallel society in France, "entryism means getting involved in republican infrastructure… in order to change it from the inside. It requires dissimulation… and it works from the bottom up," the official said. In a copy of the report published in Le Figaro newspaper, the authors identified the Federation of Muslims in France (FMF)
"[The movement's] officials, who are hardened activists, enter into a relationship with the local authority… Social norms – the veil, beards, dress, fasting - are gradually imposed as the ecosystem solidifies," the authors write. "What happens is that religious practice become stricter, with a high level of girls wearing the abaya (long robe) and a massive and visible increase in the number of young girls wearing Islamic headscarves. Some are as young as five or six." The Federation angrily rejected "any allegation that associates us with a foreign political programme, or with a strategy of 'entryism'". "Confusing Islam with political Islamism and radicality is not only dangerous, but counter-productive for the Republic itself," the FMF said. "Behind these unfounded accusations there is a plan to stigmatise Islam and Muslims."
Interior minister Bruno Retailleau, who on Sunday was elected leader of the conservative Les Républicains party, warned on Tuesday of "below-the-radar Islamism trying to infiltrate institutions, whose ultimate aim is to tip the whole of French society under sharia law". Municipal elections are due in France next year, and Retailleau - who has won a reputation as a hardliner - has said he is concerned about the possibility of Islamic lists of candidates. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon warned that "Islamophobia has crossed a line", accusing the president's security cabinet of adopting the "delusional theories" of both Retailleau and far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen. The report's authors, who visited 10 different regions of France and four other European countries, concluded that the Muslim Brotherhood was losing influence in the Middle East and North Africa, and so was targeting Europe, backed by money from Turkey and Qatar. "Having given a Western look to the ideology in order to implant themselves in Europe, (the Muslim Brotherhood) tries to lay down the roots of a Middle Eastern tradition while concealing a subversive fundamentalism," they wrote. Related: Emmanuel Macron 05/21/2025 France looks to ban children from wearing Muslim headscarf as government tackles 'political Islamism' Emmanuel Macron 05/20/2025 Lessons for the West and Kyiv: Don't forget that Russia can fight for a long time Emmanuel Macron 05/20/2025 2025 Peace Talks: We are on the right track Related: Federation of Muslims in France: 2005-03-21 Foundation created to finance Islam in France Federation of Muslims in France: 2004-12-17 Paris: Creating state-supervised "Foundation for Islam" Related: Muslims of France: 2025-05-21 France looks to ban children from wearing Muslim headscarf as government tackles 'political Islamism' Muslims of France: 2015-01-10 English-speaking IS militants praise Paris attackers Muslims of France: 2009-06-19 Why not ban full veil, says French government spokesman | ||||||
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Europe |
France looks to ban children from wearing Muslim headscarf as government tackles 'political Islamism' |
2025-05-21 |
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] French President Emmanuel Macron's political party has announced that it wants to ban minors under 15 from wearing the Muslim headscarf in public. It comes as his government held a security meeting on Wednesday to discuss the spread of 'political Islamism' in France. The meeting, which included the head of government and key ministers, addressed a report which sounds the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood and the rising influence of the Islamist movement - which it said poses 'a threat to national cohesion' in France. After the meeting, the Elysee Palace said measures will be taken, 'some of which will be announced' while others will remain classified. The report into the movement, which was founded in Egypt in 1928, was commissioned by the government and prepared by two senior civil servants. It 'clearly establishes the anti-republican and subversive nature of the Muslim Brotherhood' and 'proposes ways to address this threat', said the Elysee Palace. It comes as Macron's Renaissance party said it would forbid 'minors under 15 from wearing the veil in public spaces,' phrasing that generally means places outside the home like the street, cafes, parks and stores. It added the hijab 'seriously undermines gender equality and the protection of children'. The party, led by former prime minister Gabriel Attal, also wants to introduce a 'criminal offence for coercion against parents who force their underage daughters to wear the veil'. Renaissance is a minority force in the French parliament and works in a minority government alongside a traditional right-wing party. Critics see the headscarf worn by some Muslim women as a symbol of creeping Islamisation after deadly jihadist attacks in France, while others say they are just practising their religion and should wear what they want. Jordan Bardella, leader of France's far-right National Rally (RN), accused Attal of making a 'U-turn' on the issue, sharing a video on his social media from a 2022 debate in which the former prime minister warned against the potential persecution of veiled women under a Marine Le Pen presidency. During her unsuccessful 2022 presidential campaign, Le Pen had evoked banning the wearing of the hijab by everyone in all public spaces in France. Under current French legislation, civil servants, teachers and pupils cannot wear any obvious religious symbols such as a Christian cross, Jewish kippa, Sikh turban or Muslim hijab in government buildings, which includes public schools. The government is also pushing for a new law to ban the headscarf in domestic sports competitions, a move critics of the law argue would be just the latest rule discriminating against visibly Muslim women. Responding to the news and the new government report, critics have condemned what they call the rise of Islamophobia in France. 'Islamophobia has crossed a line,' hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon said on X. He accused the Defence Council meeting chaired by Macron of endorsing 'the delusional theories' of Le Pen and France's hardline Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau France's authorities are eager to prevent any spread of extremist Islamist ideas in a country that has been rocked by a string of deadly jihadist attacks. Religious radicalisation has become a hot-button issue as the far-right is becoming increasingly popular in France, with the new government report sparking heated reactions. Le Pen accused the government of inaction, saying on X that she has long proposed measures to 'eradicate Islamist fundamentalism'. Bardella meanwhile said on France Inter radio: 'If we come to power tomorrow, we will ban the Muslim Brotherhood.' The report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, pointed to the spread of Islamism 'from the bottom up', adding the phenomenon constituted 'a threat in the short to medium term'. At the same time, the presidency stressed, 'we are all perfectly aligned in saying that we must not lump all Muslims together'. 'We are fighting against Islamism and its radical excesses.' The report zeroed in on the role of Muslims of France (Musulmans de France), which it identified as 'the national branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in France.' Related: Hijab 05/08/2025 Fight between swearing girls in hijabs filmed in Caucasus Hijab 05/05/2025 Terrorist attack at Lady Gaga concert foiled in Rio de Janeiro Hijab 05/01/2025 Tell us what you REALLY Think! Woman at Islam Event Tears Off Her Hijab, Starting Her Political Campaign |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia | |
Six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia accused of involvement in 'At Takfir wal-Hijra' | |
2025-05-20 | |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] The prosecution considers Khasin Kabardaev, a resident of the Adyge-Khablsky district, to be the organizer of the extremist cell; five more local residents will appear in court as its participants. ![]() As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, in May 2024, a court in Cherkessk placed six residents of Karachay-Cherkessia under arrest, suspected of organizing and participating in the activities of the extremist organization "At Takfir wal-Hijra". "At Takfir wal-Hijra" is not popular among residents of the North Caucasus and has not claimed responsibility for terrorist attacks in Russia, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" indicated at the time. The organization "At-Takfir wal-Hijra" (accusation of unbelief and hijra) appeared in Egypt and spread in the North Caucasus, especially in Kabardino-Balkaria in 1997-1998. Supporters of the organization belong to the Salafi movement in Islam and are distinguished by strict demands on co-religionists, according to the "Caucasian Knot" article " Kabardino-Balkaria: On the Path to Disaster. Prerequisites for the Armed Revolt in Nalchik on October 13-14, 2005."
The prosecution believes that the organizer of the At Takfir wal-Hijra* cell was Khasin Kabardaev: according to the investigation, he used his knowledge of the Islamic religion and Sharia, as well as his “leadership skills” and authority among members of the Muslim community of Karachay-Cherkessia, to create a division of the banned organization in the republic. The goal of the cell is said to be the propaganda and dissemination of radical views and ideas of the ideologists of "At Takfir wal-Hijra"* among the Muslims of the republic. According to investigators, the voluntary members of the association were Arsen Aichepshev, Murat Kabardaev, Nazir Koshev, Murat Mulazhev and Mikhail Smadich, who supported the religious views of Khasin Kabardaev, the United Press Service of the Courts of Karachay-Cherkessia reported today on its Telegram channel. The hearing on the case is scheduled for May 21. The "Caucasian Knot" does not yet have any comments from the accused or their lawyers regarding the prosecution's version of events. | |
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Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Jordan Declares War on Muslim Brotherhood |
2025-04-25 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov [REGNUM] Jordan's political landscape is rapidly changing. Following the revelation of a secret "missile factory" by the security services, the kingdom's authorities have decided to completely ban the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood* group. ![]() The decision was made almost instantly - literally a few days after the publication of details of the defeat of the failed underground missilemen. Most of the country's residents did not question the harsh reaction to the conspiracy. At the same time, there is a high probability that, in addition to issues of national security, the foreign policy ambitions of official Amman played a role in the final defeat of the Brotherhood. "BROTHERS" IN JORDAN The Muslim Brotherhood has been active in Jordan for over eighty years, from the mid-1940s until recently, and was considered a serious political force. The group had hidden influence over the country's civilian and military elites and even attempted several times to overthrow King Abdullah II. The royal court responded in kind, with searches and arrests, as well as the temporary closure of individual offices of the group, and tightened control over its financial flows and political course. However, for most of the time, both forces existed in a state of "cold peace". Clouds began to gather over the group on April 21, when attacks against the Muslim Brotherhood began to be heard from the rostrum of the Jordanian parliament one after another. Representatives of various political forces, both those close to the court and those who consider themselves part of the moderate opposition, accused the group of trying to sow discord and plunge Jordanian society into civil war, and to create a new “terrorist enclave” on the territory of the kingdom. POLITICAL STORM The accusations were prompted by reports from Jordanian security forces about the arrest in mid-April of a large group of underground fighters affiliated with the Brotherhood. At an abandoned facility in the northwest of the country (dubbed the "rocket factory"), the conspirators manufactured homemade missiles and UAVs, and stockpiled weapons and explosives, all of which they allegedly intended to use against the authorities soon. The deputies, clearly impressed by the scale of the secret arsenals, called on the Islamic Action Front (considered the political wing of the Brotherhood) sitting in parliament to publicly condemn the group's activities and even renounce them. Otherwise, the entire faction (31 deputies) risked losing their mandates in one fell swoop "for assisting the conspirators." And although the speaker of parliament, Ahmad al-Safaadi, tried to soften the emotional attacks of some of his colleagues, the mistrust of the Front did not diminish, even taking into account the fact that some deputies complied with the demands and condemned the course of the Muslim Brotherhood. The public defeat of the Brotherhood was completed by the Kingdom's Interior Minister Mazen Faraya. At a special briefing on April 23, he announced that due to the attempted anti-government conspiracy, the movement's activities in Jordan were completely banned. Any public support for the group - including online campaigning for it - would henceforth be prosecuted. The Muslim Brotherhood’s attempts to defuse the crisis and present the activities of the detained underground fighters as “purely independent” and “separated” from all official structures have led to nothing. THE PALESTINIAN INCIDENT The Jordanian authorities not only dissolved the organization, but also confiscated its property and closed all its offices in the country. At least five activists of the movement were detained "pending clarification of the circumstances." However, they were quickly released without any new charges. It was not only the Muslim Brotherhood that came under attack from official Amman. In parallel with the closure of the group's offices, Jordanian law enforcement officials began an operation against the Palestinian Hamas. At least three mid-level Palestinian officials who were in the country legally were arrested in the past 24 hours and taken to al-Jandaweel prison, which has a reputation for being political. It is also noteworthy that several days before this, several Palestinians from the Islamic Jihad faction were arrested in neighboring Syria. The arrest was carried out by the authorities under the pretext of the Palestinians' cooperation with "anti-government forces," which shocked them quite a bit: "Islamic Jihad" and other factions felt quite comfortable in Syria not only during the Assad dynasty, but also after its overthrow, and they showed no intention of conflicting with the new Damascus. PREPARING THE SOIL Outside observers tend to link the two episodes together and interpret them as preparing the ground for the launch of negotiations on normalizing relations between Syria and Israel in the spirit of the Abraham Accords. And Jordan, as one of Israel's oldest Arab "friends," is quite capable of playing the role of mediator and providing channels of communication between Damascus and Tel Aviv. Especially since interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has declared his readiness for détente with the Israelis at least several times. In addition, Jordan has significant strategic autonomy in organizing the negotiations and has no claims against either the Syrian or Israeli side, and is less focused on the interests of its neighbors. The same Saudi Arabia and Qatar are not in a hurry to get involved in mediation, fearing to cause discontent in Iran and Turkey. The success of the new “Abrahamic” negotiations will not only raise Jordan’s prestige in the eyes of the US and Israel, but will also open up vast opportunities for the kingdom to strengthen its presence in the Syrian market – primarily in the energy sector, where the Turks currently hold virtually undivided sway. However, for the successful implementation of such a combination, official Amman needs to keep all internal forces under complete control. In order to quickly extinguish any discontent with the change in the political balance. And the Muslim Brotherhood, which is under conditional control, as well as the Islamic Action Front affiliated with them (which is also one of the largest consolidated political forces in parliament) could seriously stir up the public. And in a tactical alliance with Hamas, they could also turn the Palestinian communities living in the country against the throne. Amman does not want to risk the stability of the dynasty for the sake of dubious political benefits, and therefore chose to solve the problem effectively, taking the confrontation with the “Brothers” beyond the political in advance. |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
Jamaa Islamiya commander killed in Israeli strike near Damour — Naharnet | |
2025-04-23 | |
[NAHARNET] A leader from Hamas![]() -aligned Jamaa Islamiya was killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike near Damour, the Lebanese Islamist group and Israel's military said. Israel has continued to carry out regular strikes on Leb ...Formerly inhabited by hardy Phoenecian traders, its official language is now Arabic, with the usual unpleasant side effects.... despite a November truce with Hezbollah that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities between the foes including two months of all-out war. Lebanon's civil defense said "an Israeli drone targeted a car" near the coastal town of Damour, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Beirut, and rescuers recovered a man's body. Jamaa Islamiya in a statement announced the death of Hussein Atwi, calling him "an academic leader and university professor" and saying an Israeli dronezap "targeted his car as he was traveling to his workplace in Beirut." The Israeli army said the air force had "eliminated" Atwi, calling him "a significant terrorist in the Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organization." A Lebanese security official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Atwi was a leader of Jamaa Islamiya's armed wing, the al-Fajr Forces. The official said Israel had previously targeted Atwi during its recent war with Hezbollah. An AFP photographer saw the charred wreckage of a car at the scene. The Lebanese Army had cordoned off the area and forensic teams were conducting an inspection. Jamaa Islamiya, closely linked to both Paleostinian Death Eater group Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah, grabbed credit for multiple attacks against Israel before the November 27 ceasefire. The Israeli military said Atwi had been "involved in planning and advancing terrorist activity from Lebanon into Israeli territory" and had operated "in coordination with Hamas in Lebanon." It said he had "carried out rocket attacks, coordinated terrorist infrastructure... and advanced attempts to infiltrate into Israeli territory." Under the truce, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon's Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but troops remain in five positions that it deems "strategic". Israel on Sunday said it had killed two senior Hezbollah members in strikes on Lebanon. Lebanese authorities have said Israeli fire has killed some 190 people since the ceasefire. After unclaimed rocket fire against Israel in late March, Lebanon's army said last week it had arrested several Lebanese and Paleostinian suspects, while a security official said they included three Hamas members.
The military said Atwi was also affiliated with Hamas in Lebanon, and worked alongside the Palestinian terror group to advance attacks on Israel from Lebanon, in an attempt to harm IDF troops operating on the northern border. Atwi was behind rocket fire over the years and had also directed terror cells in Lebanon to launch attacks on Israel, including infiltrations, the IDF said. He also worked to advance attacks against Israeli targets abroad, the military added. Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya, like Hamas, is a Sunni faction that forms part of the broader Muslim Brotherhood political network. The armed wing of the group, the al-Fajr Forces, repeatedly targeted Israel from Lebanon amid the war, often working in conjunction with the Shiite Hezbollah terror group. | |
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Africa North |
Tunisia opposition figures get jail terms in mass trial; defense pans ‘masquerade’ |
2025-04-21 |
[IsraelTimes] Court hands out sentences of up to 66 years for 40 defendants, including prominent opponents of President Saied; French intellectual Bernard Henri-Levy said ordered jailed in absentia A Tunisian court has handed down jail sentences of up to 66 years to multiple defendants, including prominent opposition figures, in a mass trial criticized by rights groups. The trial, decried by a defense lawyer as a "masquerade," is of unprecedented scale with around 40 defendants including vocal critics of President Kais Saied. A prosecutor cited on Saturday by local media announced sentences ranging from 13 to 66 years for the defendants, accused of "conspiracy against state security" and "belonging to a terrorist group." However, some people cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go... a list communicated to AFP by several lawyers, and "subject to official confirmation," indicates minimum sentences of four years. Among those sentenced were well-known opposition figures, lawyers and business people, with some already in prison for two years while others were in exile or still free. Appeals are planned, defense lawyer Abdessatar Messaoudi said. Bassam Khawaja of Human Rights Watch posted on X: "The court did not give even a semblance of a fair trial." The charges, he said, "appear unfounded and based on no credible evidence." According to the list supplied by lawyers, those accused who are abroad, including French intellectual Bernard Henri-Levy, received 33-year jail terms. The same penalty was handed down to feminist activist Bochra Belhaj Hmida and the former head of the presidential office, Nadia Akacha. Issam Chebbi and Jawhar Ben Mbarek of the opposition National Salvation Front coalition, as well as lawyer Ridha Belhaj and activist Chaima Issa, were sentenced to 18 years behind bars, Messaoudi told AFP. HARSHEST PENALTY Activist Khayam Turki was handed a 48-year term while businessman Kamel Eltaief received the harshest penalty — 66 years in prison, the list showed. Turki’s cousin, Hayder Turki, told AFP he was "very saddened" by the verdict, saying: "He doesn’t deserve this — he’s a great man, his crime was being involved in politics." Two former leaders of the Islamist Ennahdha party, ...the Muslim Brotherhood in Tunisia... which was Saied’s main rival, were also sentenced. Abdelhamid Jelassi and Noureddine Bhiri received 13 and 43 years respectively, according to the list.Kamel Jendoubi, a rights advocate and former minister tried in absentia, decried a "judicial liquidation" by the courts. "This is not a judiciary ruling, but a political decree executed by judges under orders, by complicit prosecutors and by a justice minister" who all serve "a paranoid autocrat," Jendoubi charged. Since Saied launched a power grab in the summer of 2021 and assumed total control, rights advocates and opposition figures have decried a rollback of freedoms in the North African country where the 2011 Arab Spring began. Late Friday, defense lawyers denounced the trial after the judge finished reading the accusations and began deliberation without hearing from either the prosecution or the defense. One lawyer, Samia Abbou, told AFP there were "flagrant violations of judicial procedure" with the accused "not heard" during the "masquerade." Friday’s hearing lasted much of the day and was held amid tight security. Media and foreign diplomats were barred from the proceedings. Since the trial began on March 4, defense lawyers have repeatedly called for all the defendants to appear in court, including at least six who went on a hunger strike. The lawyers denounced the case as "empty," while HRW said the trial was taking place in the context of repression with Saied "weaponizing the judicial system to target opponents and dissidents." Analyst Hatem Nafti posted on X that any acquittal in the mass trial "would have negated the conspiratorial narrative that the regime has relied on since 2021" and "accepted by a large part of the population" relying on restricted media coverage. Related: Tunisia: 2025-04-19 US envoy: I’m sure Edan Alexander is in a decent place; we’ll come for Hamas if he’s harmed Tunisia: 2025-04-16 Cultural Factors Drive 'Disproportionate' Crime Among Migrant Groups: Renowned Swiss Psychiatrist Tunisia: 2025-04-15 Trump admin secures release of American missionary held in Tunisia for 13 months, 27th American prisoner Trump got freed |
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Syria-Lebanon-Iran | |
IDF: Two Hezbollah members killed in southern Lebanon drone strikes | |
2025-04-17 | |
[IsraelTimes] Hamas operatives reportedly arrested by Lebanese army in Palestinian refugee camps, amid exposure by Amman of alleged Muslim Brotherhood terror cell said to have trained in Lebanon Two Hezbollah members were killed in separate Israeli dronezaps in southern Leb ...The Leb civil war, between 1975 and 1990, lasted a little over 145 years and produced 120,000 fatalities. The average length of a ceasefire was measured in seconds. Only one of those statements is an exaggeration.... on Wednesday, the military said. The first strike, in southern Lebanon’s Qantara, some seven kilometers from the Israeli border, eliminated a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, the Israel Defense Forces said. The second strike targeted another operative in the town of Hanine, some five kilometers from the border. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that one person was killed in the strike on a vehicle in the area of Wadi al-Hujair, near Qantara, and a second was killed in Hanine. The IDF also said Wednesday that it had struck the Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon overnight. Lebanese media had reported a series of strikes near the town of Ramyeh, close to the Israeli border. Meanwhile, ...back at the alley, Slats grabbed for his rosco... Lebanon’s health ministry reported Wednesday that a 17-year-old had succumbed to wounds sustained the previous day in an Israeli ... KABOOM!... on south Lebanon’s Aitaroun. The death brought the toll of that strike to two, after the IDF said a commander in Hezbollah’s special operations unit was killed in the strike. Under the terms of a November 27 ceasefire, which ended more than 13 months of war, Hezbollah was required to vacate southern Lebanon, while Israel was permitted to act against what it deemed to be imminent threats from the terror group. Israel, which was required to withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon, has held on to five areas it described as strategic. The war was sparked when Hezbollah, unprovoked, began launching near-daily attacks on northern Israel on October 8, 2023 — a day after Hamas ![]() stormed southern Israel to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppressionand disproportionate response... . Israel invaded Lebanon in September in a bid to stop Hezbollah’s attacks, which had displaced some 60,000 northerners. Hezbollah, whose leadership was decimated in the war, has since lost ground in Lebanon’s domestic politics. In January, the terror group acquiesced to the election of US- and Saudi-backed Lebanese President Joseph Aoun after a two-year vacancy in the post. Aoun, formerly the commander of Lebanon’s army, has vowed to uphold a state monopoly on arms — a thinly veiled threat to Hezbollah’s extensive arsenal. In an interview published Tuesday by Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... i-owned outlet The New Arab, Aoun said he would directly coordinate with Hezbollah to achieve that goal in 2025. LEBANESE ARMY ARRESTS HAMAS OPERATIVES Meanwhile, ...back at the alley, Slats grabbed for his rosco... the Saudi al-Hadath news outlet reported Tuesday that the Lebanese army had arrested Hamas operatives in Ain al-Hilweh and Nahr al-Bared, Paleostinian refugee camps situated, respectively, in north and south Lebanon. The report, which was not immediately confirmed by the Lebanese army, said that a senior Hamas official had requested a meeting with the head of Lebanon’s military intelligence. The reason for the arrest was unclear. It came after Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Tuesday spoke with Aoun about an alleged yearslong plot by Jordanian members of the Moslem Brüderbund — a Hamas ally and Jordan’s largest opposition group — to attack the Hashemite Kingdom with self-made rockets and drones. Amman, which on Tuesday announced the arrest of 16 suspects in the case, said they had received training and funding in Lebanon.
“The Lebanese Army will not allow any involvement in sabotage in Jordan or any Arab country,” the sources said. “The Lebanese Army will not allow any tampering with the security of the Lebanese south,” the sources added, noting that “a Hamas leader has requested an appointment from the army’s Intelligence Directorate.” Jordan's intelligence service on Tuesday announced the arrests of 16 people for allegedly planning to target national security and sow "chaos." Authorities said the suspects were arrested for "manufacturing rockets using local tools as well as tools imported for illegal purposes, possession of explosives and firearms, concealing a rocket ready to be deployed, planning to manufacture drones, and recruiting and training operatives in Jordan as well as training them abroad." Jordanian officials later said that some of the suspects hd received training in Lebanon. Jordan’s government said the accused have political affiliations and belong to what it called “unlicensed groups,” referring to the Muslim Brotherhood. Jordan’s judiciary dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood in 2020. | |
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