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Tag: Muslim Brotherhood

  • US labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as global terrorists

    US labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as global terrorists

    On Tuesday, the U.S. designated the Egyptian, Lebanese, and Jordanian branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as global terrorists, citing their alleged support for Palestinian resistance group Hamas. This action, which was officially initiated last November, will impose sanctions on one of the Middle East’s oldest and most influential Islamist organizations.

    The Treasury Department classified these branches as specially designated global terrorists, accusing them of backing or promoting violent acts against Israel and U.S. allies. In a statement, the department remarked, “While the Muslim Brotherhood chapters claim to be legitimate civic organizations, they secretly and passionately endorse terrorist groups like Hamas.”

    Egypt’s foreign ministry praised the move, calling it a “significant step that underscores the seriousness of the organization and its extremist ideology, which poses a direct threat to regional and international security and stability.” Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Muslim Brotherhood branch, known as Jama’a Islamiya, dismissed the decision as a political and administrative choice by the United States, asserting it has no “legal effect within Lebanon.”

    The Muslim Brotherhood’s rise in Egypt was marked by its victory in the country’s first free presidential election in 2012, but it was ousted a year later following mass protests and a subsequent crackdown by authorities. Since then, the organization has faced intense scrutiny and suppression from Egyptian authorities.

  • Trump Starts Process to Designate Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Terrorist

    Trump Starts Process to Designate Muslim Brotherhood Chapters as Terrorist

    On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump initiated steps to classify certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as foreign terrorist organizations and globally designated terrorists. This move aims to impose sanctions on one of the Middle East’s most longstanding and influential groups. Trump issued an executive order instructing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to compile a report within 45 days, assessing whether to label chapters in Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan as terrorist entities.

    The administration alleges that factions of the Muslim Brotherhood in these countries have supported or incited violent attacks against Israel and U.S. allies, or have provided material support to Hamas. According to a White House fact sheet, “President Trump is confronting the Muslim Brotherhood’s transnational network, which fuels terrorism and destabilization efforts against U.S. interests and regional allies.”

    Support for declaring the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group has been a long-standing position among Republicans and right-wing voices. During his first term, Trump attempted a similar effort, and months into his second term, Senator Rubio indicated that the current administration was working towards a designation. Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, also a Republican, officially declared the group a terrorist organization at the state level.

    Founded in Egypt in the 1920s, the Muslim Brotherhood started as a religious-political movement aimed at countering secular and nationalist influences. It rapidly expanded across various Muslim countries, becoming a significant but often clandestine force.

  • Texas Labels Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Terrorist Organizations

    Texas Labels Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as Terrorist Organizations

    A member of the Muslim Brotherhood shouts slogans in front of riot police during a protest outside the Press Syndicate in Cairo, Egypt, on April 15, 2016. — Reuters

    TEXAS: In a move that’s raising eyebrows and stirring controversy, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has officially labeled the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “terrorist” and “transnational criminal organizations.” This proclamation effectively bans these groups and anyone linked to them from purchasing land within the state.

    This announcement comes despite neither the Muslim Brotherhood nor CAIR being included on the U.S. government’s official list of designated terrorist organizations. CAIR, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights group, responded strongly, condemning Abbott’s decision as unfounded, unconstitutional, and a blatant display of Islamophobia.

    The group accused the governor of exploiting conspiracy theories to target Muslim communities and warned that any attempt to turn this proclamation into policy would face legal challenges. Experts note that the governor’s decision can’t be viewed in isolation from the ongoing controversy surrounding EPIC City, a proposed Muslim-led residential development near Dallas.

    Abbott and other Republican officials previously opposed the project, pushing legislation against so-called “Sharia compounds,” even though there’s no evidence suggesting that the development aimed to impose Islamic law or operate outside state regulations. Federal civil rights investigators also closed their inquiry into the project, choosing not to pursue charges.

    Critics argue that tying CAIR to the Muslim Brotherhood revives an outdated narrative used to discredit Muslim community organizations and restrict their rights to organize or own property collectively. Republican State Representative Cole Hefner supported Abbott’s move, saying it was necessary “to keep the state safe.” On the other hand, Texas Muslim lawmaker Salman Bhojani criticized the proclamation as an attack on religious freedom. He emphasized that Muslim Texans deserve the same rights, dignity, and trust as everyone else and urged Abbott to rescind what he called a harmful and discriminatory declaration.

    Civil rights advocates are worried that Abbott’s designation could set a precedent for more restrictions on Muslim civic life in Texas. Legal experts argue that only the federal government has the authority to classify groups as foreign terrorist organizations, raising significant constitutional questions about the governor’s unilateral action.

    Muslim organizations and human rights groups view the proclamation as part of an escalating political effort to marginalize Muslims under the guise of national security—marking what they see as a troubling new chapter of Islamophobic policymaking in the United States.

  • Jordan Bans Muslim Brotherhood, Seizes Assets and Offices

    Jordan Bans Muslim Brotherhood, Seizes Assets and Offices

    A member of the Muslim Brotherhood protests in front of riot police during a demonstration at the Press Syndicate in Cairo, Egypt, on April 15, 2016. — Reuters

    • Group has operated legally in Jordan for many years.
    • Fraya states that all activities of the group will be prohibited.
    • Critics label it a “dangerous terrorist” organization.

    AMMAN: On Wednesday, Jordan declared the Muslim Brotherhood, the nation’s most prominent opposition group, illegal and seized its assets following revelations of its members’ involvement in a sabotage scheme, according to Interior Minister Mazen Fraya.

    The group, which has maintained a legal presence in Jordan for decades and enjoys substantial grassroots support in major cities and numerous offices nationwide, had not issued an immediate response.

    Fraya announced that all activities related to the group would be prohibited, and any individual promoting its ideology would face legal consequences.

    The ban encompasses any publications from the group, as well as the closure and seizure of all its offices and properties, he specified.

    Opponents of the Brotherhood, which has been banned in several Arab nations, contend that it poses a serious terrorist threat that needs to be eliminated. However, the group asserts that it abandoned violence decades ago, aiming to realize an Islamist vision through peaceful means.