The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) is the latest Global Muslim Brotherhood organization to express “astonishment” at being included in the recently published UAE list of terrorist organizations. Accring to the FIOE statement:
November 16, 2014 The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) received with astonishment the decision by the United Arab Emirates’ Council of Ministers to put the Federation and a number of respected associations and organisations on a so-called ‘terror list’.
The Federation deplores in the strongest terms the inclusion of its name and that of European and professional organisations in the frame of such damaging accusations, which it considers to be clearly unfair and unacceptable.
The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe as it denounces and rejects this step—that cannot be understood or justified—points to its illogical nature, in involving Europe’s Muslims in uncalled for disputes, and as an insult to those states that have granted legal status to the Federation and the other associations.
This astonishing decision is severely damaging to the Emirates state, and is a break with the tradition of engagement and openness that were strongly pursued by the state’s founder, the late esteemed Shaykh Zayid bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, as well as the Federation, Europe’s Muslims, and their organisations.
Read the rest here.
The GMBDW reported earlier last week on the publication of the UAE list as well as on the reactions of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim American Society (MAS) and the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) on their inclusion.
The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) claims to be an independent organization representing the interests of Muslims in Europe. In reality, the FIOE is an umbrella group that comprises the global Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. Strong links connect FIOE’s leadership central institutions and member organizations to the Brotherhood, as well as to Saudi Arabia. Funding for the FIOE is derived largely from Gulf sources, including the ruling Maktoum family of Dubai. The FIOE has strong ties to Hamas and Hamas fund-raising organizations, and some FIOE member organizations show evidence of links with Al-Qaida. The FIOE has a headquarters office in Brussels and has had some success in positioning itself as a “dialog partner” for the EU and other important institutions. Ayman Aly, the FIOE Secretary-General, is a senior member of the Guidance Bureau of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood as well as a former adviser to the deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. In February 2014, French Muslim Brotherhood figure Abdallah Benmansour was elected as the new FIOE president.
For an extensive report on FIOE, go here.