The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) has issue a statement condemning what it call “bloody massacres against peaceful protesters” carried out by the ruling military authorities in Egypt. The FIOE statement called on the EU and EU governments to “meet their commitments regarding democracy, and human rights” and does not mention the Muslim Brotherhood by name:
July 27, 2013 The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE) with great sadness received the news from Egypt that the authorities of the military coup had perpetrated bloody massacres against peaceful protesters camped out in squares around the country.
In the wake of many fallen victims from among the peaceful protesters, demanding a return to democracy and an end to the coup in various parts of Egypt, including women and children, the horrific massacres perpetrated in the early hours of Saturday brought hundreds more dead and injured.
The Federation considers that these massacres represent an extremely grave turn in the path of the coup organised by the army to overturn democratic change, and the state of constitution and law. This is clearly sustained by a continuing silence and neglect on the part of the international community, particularly the European family of states, towards the flagrant overthrow of democracy in Egypt.
The Federation is gravely concerned that these bloody violations may only be the opening phase of a widening in the scope of killing targeting millions of Egyptian men and women protesting peacefully in the squares, and expanding the scale of horrors committed to silence them, especially given the successive threats by the military authority, and the clampdown on media coverage of events.
The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe calls on the European Union and European governments to meet their commitments regarding democracy, and human rights, and adopt clear and unequivocal positions regarding this coup against the will of the Egyptian people, and not to fail them in this critical moment of history. The Federation also expresses its solidarity with the millions of protesters in the squares across Egypt, those rejecting the military coup, and calling for the restoration of democracy, the constitution, and the legitimate president, Dr Mohammed Morsi, and elected councils and bodies; those who continue their protests and sit-ins, despite the systematic violence against them that continues to claim further victims.
In early July, the GMBDW reported that FIOE had issued a statement condemning the overthrow of Egyptian President Morsi.
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 has known to have come 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 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 Ali, known to have served as the FIOE Secretary-General, was selected in August 2012 as one of Dr. Morsi’s four Presidential advisers. In February 2013, an Egyptian newspaper identified Dr. Ali as a senior member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Guidance Bureau.