French Muslims feel unsafe from ‘constant suspicion’: Muslim group

ISTANBUL

The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) on Wednesday warned that Muslim citizens in France feel increasingly exposed to "constant suspicion," following the publication of excerpts from a government-commissioned report on political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood.

“Many Muslim citizens today feel that they are no longer safe from constant suspicion,” the CFCM said in a written statement, expressing alarm over the potential consequences of the report.

The French daily Le Figaro on Wednesday published extracts from the report, titled “Political Islamism and the Muslim Brotherhood,” which was prepared by two senior civil servants for presentation to the Defense Council.

The CFCM criticized the report for “fueling widespread suspicion” and called for a more nuanced and data-driven approach to evaluating threats linked to extremism.

“The fight against extremism based on Islam, which profoundly harms the lives of French Muslims and all our fellow citizens, is one of our top priorities,” the group said. “But this fight must be based on a lucid assessment of the threat, relying on rigorous, contextualized data and a clear identification of those responsible for spreading it.”

The group raised concern over the use of vague terminology such as “Muslim Brotherhood,” “political Islam,” and “Islamist entryism,” warning that their undefined usage contributes to “prejudicial confusion.”

Though the full report has not been made public, the CFCM voiced “deep concern” over the potential misuse of its findings — particularly the identification of places of worship, institutions, associations and individuals allegedly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

“The vagueness surrounding the identity of these actors, combined with the seriousness of the accusations made, is likely to cast unjust suspicion on all Muslim structures in our country,” the statement read. “This risks feeding fantasies and conspiracy theories with very real consequences: stigmatization, aggression, threats to the physical safety of French Muslims and attacks on their places of worship.”

The CFCM added that simply being Muslim or perceived as Muslim “arouses suspicion” in France today, calling this perception “erroneous” and “profoundly dangerous.”

“The French people expect the authorities to be more discerning when it comes to these issues, which are all too often misused for ideological, media or political ends,” the group said. “They need greater clarity and precision to avoid confusion, fantasies, hatred and fear.”