A French academic, Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, has been subjected to death threats by Islamists after publishing a book that critically examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s efforts to spread Islamism in Europe. The book has been widely praised for its scholarly approach, but also denounced as Islamophobic by some activists.
The Book’s Content
Bergeaud-Blackler’s book “The Brotherhood and its Networks: The Investigation” offers a comprehensive examination of the Muslim Brotherhood’s history, structure, doctrine, and strategies. The author presents evidence of the group’s infiltration into crucial institutions of the European Union and French academia, with the goal of spreading its ideology and creating an Islamic world. Bergeaud-Blackler provides detailed insights into the tactics employed by the Brotherhood and how it operates in Europe. The book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood on European politics and society.
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Media Coverage
Bergeaud-Blackler’s book on the Muslim Brotherhood has received significant media attention with positive reviews. Le Figaro, a center-right daily newspaper, praised it as “immensely meritorious”. Meanwhile, Le Point, a conservative news magazine, featured an interview with the author with the bold title “The Muslim Brotherhood’s Weapon is Subterfuge”. Marianne, a left-leaning news magazine, highlighted the group’s goal of making European society Sharia-compatible. The book has received widespread acclaim for its extensive examination of the Muslim Brotherhood’s past, ideology, framework, strategies, and infiltration into prominent EU institutions and French academic institutions.
Smear Campaign
Despite the critical acclaim of Bergeaud-Blackler’s book on the Muslim Brotherhood, the author has also been the target of a vicious smear campaign aimed at discrediting her work. A left-wing online investigative journal accused her of “demonizing political Islam,” “criminalizing whole sections of French society for whom Islam is a component of their identity,” and even compared her to a 20th-century French anthropologist whose racial theories influenced Nazi ideologies. The accusations have been widely denounced by academics and journalists alike, with many calling the attacks baseless and defamatory. The controversy highlights the contentious nature of discussions around Islam and its role in European society, and the difficulties faced by scholars who seek to study these issues objectively.
Campaign Leaders
François Burgat, a former CNRS research director who is currently the president of the Arab Center for Research and Political Studies in Paris, is leading the campaign against Bergeaud-Blackler because her book documents how Burgat and other French academics have been Brotherhood shills for many years. Rafik Chekkat, a French-Algerian anti-“Islamophobia” activist, also published a lengthy review of Bergeaud-Blackler’s book and compared her to a late 19th century anti-Semitic polemicist.
Response
Bergeaud-Blackler’s lawyer revealed that his client is living under police protection due to the death threats she has received. The French government has expressed its support for her, with the Interior Minister stating that “there can be no compromise when it comes to the safety of citizens.” Many intellectuals and journalists have also spoken out in her defence, arguing that she has a right to academic freedom and freedom of expression.
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While her work has been widely praised for its scholarly approach, Bergeaud-Blackler has also been subjected to a vicious smear campaign and death threats by Islamist extremists. It is important to note that Islam’s principles do not condone violence or the suppression of academic freedom and freedom of expression. As such, it is essential for societies to uphold these values and ensure that scholars are free to engage in objective research and discourse on matters of public concern without fear of intimidation or persecution.