The European Muslim Brotherhood has condemned the arrest of Israeli Muslim Brotherhood leader Raed Salah who entered the U.K. despite his presence on a “no-admit” list. According to a statement by the Federation of Islamic Organizations In Europe (FIOE):
The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe was caught by surprise at the arrest by the British authorities of the eminent Palestinian leader, Shaykh Raed Salah, who rose to prominence through his civil struggle for the Palestinian people and the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem). The arrest of Shaykh Raed Salah is an incomprehensible development that attracts wide condemnation, as he is a personality that is famous for peaceful civil struggle for the sake of al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its holy sites, both Muslim and Christian, as well as its people, all suffering from the policies and systematic discrimination of the Israeli occupation.
Shaykh Raed Salah has suffered the repression of the Israeli occupation authorities, who have inflicted various punishments on him, and imprisoned him on different occasions in retribution for his peaceful civil efforts. In this context, rather than the required recognition by the free world for those who defend the rights and liberties of peoples, strive for justice and reject injustice and occupation, the arrest of Shaykh Raed Salah sends a completely contrary message. We, as we express our sense of shock at the arrest, and the manner in which it was performed, demand that the relevant authorities in Britain immediately release Shaykh Raed Salah, and enable him to communicate freely with civil society and the general public, stressing the need to provide appropriate redress for all that has taken place to such a person, worthy of great respect.
Previous posts have discussed the arrest of Salah who is known for his antisemitic views and has a history of violence.
A report on FIOE by the NEFA Foundation describes the organization as follows:
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 some of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates. 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 recently opened a headquarters office in Brussels and has had some success in positioning itself as a “dialog partner” for the EU and other important institutions.