B’nai Brith Canada is calling on the Federal Government to designate three overseas chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist entities, citing allegations that the groups have been involved in financing Hamas’ terrorist activities.
In a letter sent Friday to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, the organization wrote, “Canada has long understood that democratic societies endure only when they draw firm lines against movements that organize, finance, and legitimize violence."
The letter points to reports that the Muslim Brotherhood’s Lebanese, Egyptian and Jordanian branches have provided material support to Hamas, which Canada already lists as a terrorist organization. Under Canadian law, the Government may proscribe any entity that “wilfully participates, or attempts to participate, in terrorist activity."
If Ottawa moves forward, the policy would align with that of the United States, which earlier this month designated each of the three chapters as separate terrorist entities. B’nai Brith Canada has also launched a public letter‑writing campaign urging the Government to act.
The Muslim Brotherhood, a pan‑Sunni Islamist movement founded in Egypt, operates a network of affiliates across the Middle East. Its leaders briefly rose to power in Egypt during the Arab Spring, but the organization has since been banned in most Arab states, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Argentina also designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group this past week.
B’nai Brith Canada’s letter stresses the broader significance of such a move. “[A] terrorist designation is not merely a technical instrument," it states. “It is a statement of responsibility by the state, affirming that political violence and its enablers have no protected place within our legal or civic order. We urge the Government of Canada to exercise that responsibility."
The organization notes that research shows the Muslim Brotherhood maintains global reach, including documented ties to groups in the European Union and beyond.
“Listing the Muslim Brotherhood’s known terrorist branches in Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt is only the first step," said Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our Government must be vigilant and investigate any threat the Muslim Brotherhood may pose to Canada’s national security."