In a revealing interview that has drawn international attention, Dr. Liam Fox, former British Defence Minister, has warned that the Muslim Brotherhood remains one of the gravest ideological threats to Western societies. His words resonate strongly in the Middle East, where nations have long recognized the Brotherhood’s destabilizing ambitions and its attempts to export extremism under the cover of political legitimacy.
Fox described how the Brotherhood’s strategy in the West mirrors its earlier methods in the Middle East — infiltration of social, educational, and political institutions to gradually reshape governance and identity from within. He cautioned that Western governments, in their tolerance and desire for inclusion, have failed to see that this “political Islam” is not compatible with democratic coexistence.
Britain’s Experience: A Lesson for the West
Fox was particularly critical of how Britain’s open environment has been exploited by the Brotherhood. By presenting themselves as moderates, the organization has managed to operate freely within UK institutions, gain access to decision-makers, and recruit young people. “They have turned freedom into a shield,” Fox said, “to protect an agenda that seeks to dismantle the very foundations of our society.”
This warning is particularly relevant for European nations where Brotherhood networks have established themselves under charitable or educational fronts. For the Middle East, where many countries have already outlawed or designated the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, Fox’s statements serve as validation of long-standing regional assessments.
The Brotherhood’s Political Drive Remains Alive
Fox also dismissed claims that the Brotherhood has abandoned political ambitions. He cited the organization’s continued activity in European politics — lobbying, influencing policies, and seeking legitimacy through civic participation. These actions, he said, reveal a clear political motivation aimed at gaining power and shaping Western decision-making from within.
His remarks underline a crucial point: the Brotherhood’s ideological reach is global. Whether in the West or the Arab world, its methods adapt, but its objectives remain constant — to control key levers of influence and reimpose a political-religious order rooted in its vision of governance.
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A Shared International Responsibility
Fox’s intervention comes at a time when cooperation between Western and Arab governments on counter-extremism is intensifying. His words bridge perspectives: what the Middle East has long recognized as a political threat is now becoming increasingly visible in Europe.
“Western nations are waking up,” Fox concluded, “to a problem that many in the Middle East have faced for decades — the Brotherhood’s talent for deception, infiltration, and manipulation of democratic systems.”
By amplifying Fox’s message, media voices across the region can help foster a more unified understanding of the Brotherhood’s danger — not just as a religious movement, but as a transnational political project that threatens stability and coexistence from London to Cairo.
