The website of ARRAID, a Muslim Brotherhood organization in Ukraine, has reported on its 8th annual conference held in Kiev from December 1-2, 2007. According to the report, 17 out of the 19 organization which constitute ARRAID participated in the conference. The report indicated that the guest of honor was ARRAID founder Farouq Ashur and that Dr. Ismail Qadi, the current ARRAID President, was re-elected as President. Conference activities included receiving financial and activity reports and a discussion of programs aimed at “the program of development of the relations with the community of Ukraine and improvement of the level of activity of the female departments of the organization”.
ARRAID, otherwise known as the Ukrainian Association of Social Organizations, is the Ukrainian member organization of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), the EU-level umbrella group for the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. A Canadian scholar has reported that an ARRAID fundraising brochure stated that the organization:
… aims at the increase of ‘the cultural, social and educational level of Ukraine’s Muslims,’ the spread of Islamic culture among, and financial assistance for them, and Islamic proselytism (da’wa) in the country, …. ‘By this, Ar-Raid will become an important breach (thughra) in confronting Christian missionary attacks and Jewish expansion, so assist and help it to be able to follow the way it began..’
The organization claims anywhere from 9-13 chapters throughout Ukraine.