On Sunday, September 18, websites circulated news that the Council of German Muslims (ZMD), had expelled Muslim Brotherhood (MB) figures from the council’s membership, led by the Islamic Center of Munich and the MB’s Student Union and that the council had stripped Ibrahim Al-Zayat, one of the group’s most prominent leaders in Europe, From all his positions in the Council.
This news is true, but it dates back to last January. The decision was taken during a virtual meeting of the General Assembly on January 23, 2022, when the German Islamic Group (DMG), formerly known as the Islamic Gathering of Germany (IGD), and all associations under it were dismissed from the membership of the Council of Muslims in Germany, by a two-thirds majority. According to source in ZMD for “MENA.”
The ZMD announced in late January that it had officially excluded one of its founding members, the German Islamic Gathering or (formerly the Islamic Association in Germany) because of his association with MB.
Although the Islamic Gathering has changed its name several times to disguise and get rid of surveillance by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, most of these maneuvers and lawsuits have failed.
New board of directors
On Sunday 18.09.2022. ZMD elected a new board of directors during its regular general meeting in Cologne, amid major challenges facing Muslims in Germany, such as the penetration of their legitimate platforms represented by MB.
The news that circulated during the past two days about the expulsion of the MB’s arms from ZMD is related to the recent elections, which resulted in the re-election of Ayman Mazyek again with an absolute majority as the head of the Council, given that the MB parties named in the reports did not participate in the elections due to the cancellation of their membership. According to the source who declined to be named.
In addition to Mazek, former Secretary-General Abd al-Samad al-Yazidi was re-elected to the same position. Ozlem Bachos and Daniel Abedin were also elected as Vice-Chairmen, in addition to Muhammed Abu Al-Qamsan as the new Treasurer. Samir Bouaisa, Abdelkarim Ahruba, Nourhan Soykan and Dr. Mohamed Khallouq as members of the Board of Directors of the ZMD.
ZMD was established in 1994 with the aim of following up on the affairs of Muslim communities in Germany. About 10,000 people participate in its membership, which includes 4 major Islamic federations, and 10 multi-affiliation organizations in Germany.
Although it has excluded the most important MB entities from its membership in Germany, this step removes only part of the criticism directed at the Council, as it continues to be criticized for its embrace of controversial entities such as the Islamic Center in Hamburg and the Turkish Islamic European Union. According to researcher Sigrid Hermann.
Ibrahim Al-Zayat is excluded!
Recently issued reports indicated that the ZMD, in its last meeting, stripped the MB leader, Ibrahim Al-Zayat, of all his positions, and the source confirmed to MENA that Al-Zayat was “completely excluded” from all the activities of the Council.
Al-Zayat, who is Egyptian, is considered the mastermind of the MB’s global organization in EU, which made him a permanent “guest” in all German intelligence reports monitoring the activities of the MB.
He is closely associated with all extremist organizations in the Middle East, and Islamic institutions in Turkey, as he is the son-in-law of the MB founder in Turkey, Necmettin Erbakan.
Ibrahim al-Zayat is considered one of the largest MB’s quartets: Ibrahim al-Zayat, Ibrahim Munir, Muhammad al-Buhairi and Mahmoud Hussein. A researcher in the affairs of terrorist movements and groups Sameh Eid said.
He indicated, during statements to “Sada Al-Balad” website, that all group’s money and the donations it receives are placed in the personal banks accounts of the four, and all of them are in their eighties and upon the death of these four, all the funds of the group will be inherited to their children!
