In a significant development that is reshaping the political and security landscape of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia welcomed the decisive steps taken by the United States to designate several branches of the Muslim in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon as terrorist organizations. This decision, which represents a turning point in US foreign policy toward political Islamist movements, aligns with the Saudi, Egyptian, and Emirati perspective, which has long warned of the organization's dangers and its destabilizing influence on the region.
Historical context and strategic shift
This designation cannot be understood in isolation from the historical context of the group, which was founded in 1928 and has adopted from its inception a dual approach combining public proselytizing with clandestine armed organizational activity. The American decision exposes this duality, confirming what many Arab states have asserted: that the group serves as the ideological umbrella for numerous extremist organizations. This designation carries significant international weight, as it will likely cut off funding sources through the global banking system, which is often compliant with US sanctions, thus placing the group in an unprecedented existential predicament.
Testimony from within the secret organization
In this context, Tharwat al-Kharbawi, a former leader of the group and a lawyer, provided a detailed analysis of the organization's structure in light of these changes in an interview with the newspaper "Al-Youm." Al-Kharbawi asserted that the group reacted to the shock with a state of "structural confusion," attempting to resort to its traditional strategy of claiming "victimhood" to maintain internal cohesion, while secretly exploring legal avenues in the West to challenge the decision.
The shift towards “clustering” and cryptocurrencies
Regarding the implications of the decision on the ground, al-Kharbawi explained that the group would not change its ideology based on "global dominance," but would radically alter its methods. He predicted that the organization would resort to:
- Breaking down the organizational structure: moving from a system of large “families” to very small cluster cells (3 individuals) to avoid security monitoring.
- The shadow economy: Reliance on cryptocurrencies and the informal “hawala” system to circumvent international banking oversight and asset freezes.
- Electronic armies: Replacing traditional media with encrypted platforms and electronic flies to manage psychological battles.
The Muslim Brotherhood as a "breeding ground" for extremism
At a crucial point, al-Kharbawi emphasized the organic link between the Muslim Brotherhood and armed terrorist organizations, describing the group as the "bridge" over which young people cross towards violent extremism. He pointed to indisputable historical facts, including that prominent leaders in al-Qaeda, such as Ayman al-Zawahiri and Abdullah Azzam, emerged from the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood, and that Sayyid Qutb's ideas on "sovereignty" and "ignorance" remained the primary reference point for ISIS and other takfiri groups.
An uncertain future and advice for young people
Al-Kharbawi concluded his remarks with a bleak vision for the group's future, asserting that it suffers from "intellectual stagnation" and structural decay, where the mechanisms of obedience and submission have transformed from tools of control into causes of disintegration. He addressed a poignant message to the youth sympathetic to the group, warning them against reducing religion to a clandestine organization and urging them to protect their minds from intellectual confiscation and the monopolization of truth. He emphasized that "leaving the organization was painful, but it was a salvation for the mind and conscience.".
