Macron chairs meeting on Muslim Brotherhood 'threat'

PARIS

President Emmanuel Macron Wednesday chaired a security meeting following the publication of a report sounding the alarm about the Muslim Brotherhood and the spread of "political Islamism" in France.

The meeting, which was to include the head of government and key ministers, addressed a report that calls for action to address the rising influence of the Islamist movement which it said poses "a threat to national cohesion" in France.

After the meeting, measures will be taken, "some of which will be announced" and others will remain classified, according to the Elysee Palace.

The report, which was commissioned by the government and prepared by two senior civil servants, "clearly establishes the anti-republican and subversive nature of the Muslim Brotherhood" and "proposes ways to address this threat," said the Elysee Palace.

France and Germany have the biggest Muslim populations among European Union countries.

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 radicalization has become a hot-button issue as the political landscape in France is shifting and the far-right is becoming increasingly popular. Critics have condemned what they call the rise of Islamophobia in France.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on May 20, pointed to the spread of Islamism "from the bottom up", adding the phenomenon constituted "a threat in the short to medium term."

"The movement is present in Europe and its target is clearly Europe," the Elysee Palace said, adding that it was necessary to "raise awareness within the European Union."

At the same time, the French 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," added the presidency.