The Muslim Brothers in Europe: Deciphering the Network's Goals

Contemporary research on the Muslim Brotherhood in the West is generally understood among sharp rifts that obscure the nature of the group’s Islamist character. On one hand are “Islam-bashers,” who misleadingly conflate Islamist with Islamic ideology and propagate alarmist analyses of all Islamic-motivated groups. On the other lies “Islam-apologists,” who also blur the lines between Islamist and Islamic organizations, naively refusing to address the alarming history and statements put forth by the Muslim Brotherhood. This side dangerously argues the Brotherhood’s inclusion in politics will put the group on the path towards eventual moderation. The following analysis seeks an objective alternative by examining primary sources to understand the Muslim Brotherhood’s true intents in Europe. It argues against any understanding that the Muslim Brotherhood is on a path towards increasing moderation, and instead underlines the need for continuing state surveillance of the organization’s affiliates.