Author: M Barbu

France’s decision to outlaw the Gray Wolves marks a new milestone in Erdogan’s showdown with Europe over Turkish migrant groups, which he uses as a tool to advance his political agenda.

Tensions between Turkey and France, stoked by the French government’s plans to tackle “Islamist separatism,” are spilling over to Austria and Germany as Turkish Islamist and nationalist groups in Europe, mobilized by Ankara, are coming under tighter scrutiny.

France reiterates its “commitment to respect for freedom of navigation” and be ready to intervene “effectively in the event of a violation of international law” with new operation in the Mediterranean Sea.

The French Defense Ministry announced an operation, called Medor, at the end of September in the Mediterranean Sea. The surface action group (SAG) is made up of three frigates which converged on the return from operation: the stealth light frigate FLF La Fayette (F-710) (returning from Operation Chammal , deployed in Syria-Iraq against the terrorist groups of the Islamic State), the anti-submarine frigate FASM Latouche-Tréville (D-646), which has just completed its mandate in the maritime operation of the UE (EUNAVOR Med Irini), the FDA Forbin (D-620) air defense frigate which commands the group.

“Political Islamic organizations are the reason for perpetuating terrorism and hatred. These organizations are banned in most of the Islamic countries, while Europe, especially Britain, embraces them and allows them to operate freely. Europeans can only blame themselves.” — Mohammed al-Sheikh, Saudi writer, Twitter, October 29, 2020.

“There is no doubt that France’s previous policies, lenient with [Muslim] extremists, contributed to the current wave of terrorism, as well as legislation that guarantees the right to asylum and immigration to every expatriate on its soil.” — Hailah al-Mashouh, Saudi columnist and political analyst, Elaph, November 5, 2020.

Analysts say the Council of Senior Scholars’ message means Saudi Arabia will not change policy on the Brotherhood following Biden’s victory in the US.

The International Organisation of the Muslim Brotherhood has clashed with the Saudi Council of Senior Scholars, describing it as a sycophant body, after the Council declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation that does not represent the way of Islam and warned against its agenda.

It is generally believed that Islam is a backward religion, reinforcing the beliefs of medieval period, if not of the ancient period, it is conservative and even fundamentalist in its outlook, and it motivates its followers to be intolerant and violent.

Islam, it is further believed, is incompatible with modern values and political systems, including, secularism, freedom of religion, human rights and democracy. Samuel Huntington suggested that there would be civilizational clash between the west and Islam.