French Researcher Warns of Belgian Intelligence Gaps on Muslim Brotherhood

A French researcher has raised serious concerns regarding perceived deficiencies in Belgian intelligence agencies' assessment of the Muslim Brotherhood, criticizing a recent official report for downplaying the group's influence within the country.

Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, a researcher affiliated with the Middle East Forum, stated that Belgian intelligence services exhibit a "deficit" in evaluating the threat posed by the Muslim Brotherhood. Her remarks followed the release of a report by Belgium's Standing Intelligence Review Committee, which acknowledged that the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology could foster anti-democratic behavior. However, the report concluded that the group "does not pose a direct threat" in terms of violent acts within Belgium or against its interests.

Bergeaud-Blackler characterized this assessment as "contradictory," arguing that the report identifies the nature of the threat while simultaneously minimizing its significance due to the absence of direct violent action. She contends that this narrow definition fails to encompass the full spectrum of risks associated with the group.

A 2025 French report had previously identified Belgium as a "European crossroads" for Muslim Brotherhood activities, highlighting close links between its networks in Belgium and those in France, as well as its involvement in education, community work, and economic ventures. This French report estimated approximately 200 activists aligned with the Brotherhood's ideology and noted their growing influence within civil society institutions and some EU-funded projects, findings that Belgian authorities had partially contested, deeming them unsubstantiated by direct intelligence assessments.

In this context, Bergeaud-Blackler asserted that Belgium has become a "haven" for certain networks linked to the Brotherhood, citing the relocation of organizations previously banned in France to Brussels. She warned that underestimating this influence could compromise internal security and impact the stability of neighboring European nations.

She further criticized the Belgian report for what she described as a "systematic bias" in its sourcing, noting its reliance on the opinions of researchers critical of the French report while omitting supporting perspectives. This, she argued, creates an inaccurate impression of academic consensus. Bergeaud-Blackler also pointed out the Belgian report's failure to detail specific allegations from the French report, such as claims of external funding for Brotherhood-linked networks or their influence within certain Brussels municipalities.

The Middle East Forum report concludes that these warnings emerge at a time of escalating debate across Europe regarding the nature of the Muslim Brotherhood's activities and the challenge of distinguishing between advocacy and political action on one hand, and the risks associated with non-violent extremism on the other.