In a continuing effort to eliminate the Muslim Brotherhood, the French Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday the closure of the European Institute of Human Sciences, an Imam training center, citing its role in promoting “radical Islam” and “armed jihad.”
Home Minister Bruno Reticlow stated that the dissolution pertains to the European Institute of Human Sciences (IESH), located in the rural village of St. Leger des Fugellet in the Burgundy region of central France.
Established in 1992 by the French Union of Islamic Organizations, now referred to as French Muslims, the center has frequently faced allegations of ties to radical elements, with its parent group thought to be linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to reports from French media.
Last year, the government’s office that tackles major financial crimes scrutinized the school amid concerns that IESH had accepted foreign funding aimed at undermining French unity.
Retico accused the European Institute of Human Sciences of endorsing “radical Islam” and “justifying armed jihad.”
“Our struggle against the infiltration of the Muslim Brotherhood persists,” he remarked. “We appreciate the efforts of state services dedicated to this crucial fight against the Muslim agenda.”
This decision followed a bombshell report from the French intelligence agency in May, which revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood has been implementing a long-term “strategy of Western conquest” to promote Islamism and Sharia within national and EU institutions.
The report indicated that the Brotherhood is deploying supporters trained in various community institutions—private schools, employment agencies, and local businesses—to influence all aspects of life for the European Muslim community.
Moreover, it highlighted that 139 mosques were directly linked to the Brotherhood, which has reportedly fostered many more radical interpretations of Islam.
Alongside this, around 114 Qur’an Educational Schools have been identified as connected to the French Muslim Brotherhood.
Larabi Becheli, the dean of the European Institute of Human Sciences, contested claims of foreign funding since the 2021 separatism law and insisted the Imam Training School does not advocate for radical Islam.
“Our aim is to train imams in the French tradition to prevent extremism,” he claimed.
