WASHINGTON'S DECISION IMPORTANT FOR ERADICATING ISLAMIC RADICALS

BANJA LUKA, JANUARY 16 /SRNA/ – The decision of the new US administration to designate the "Muslim Brotherhood" as a terrorist organization is encouraging, as it clearly sends the message that there will be no compromise in the future with activities that threaten global security. This is particularly significant for BiH, where this organization has long taken root, security expert Slobodan Župljanin told SRNA.

Župljanin said that the U.S. administration's decision to label the "Muslim Brotherhood" a global security threat is all the more important because it represents a strong message to fighters worldwide against Muslim radicalism, extremism, and militarism. He pointed out that global actors combating Islamic radicalism and terrorism have so far failed to take specific measures against members operating in BiH, even though numerous international reports have identified the country as a security risk due to the strengthening of Islamic fanaticism and radicalism, and in recent years, Islamic militarism as well. "There is no small number of Bosniak politicians who support the activities of the `Muslim Brotherhood,` whose actions are not only a threat to Serbs and Croats in BiH, but also represent a serious global security threat," Župljanin said. He noted that the previously mild reactions of global fighters against the radicalization and militarization of Islam, as well as advocates of the concept of BiH as a Muslim state, are surprising. Župljanin added that it is even more troubling that, without any political or legal accountability, the activities of the "Muslim Brotherhood" in BiH are supported by Bosniak officials within police and military structures in the country. He recalled that the "Muslim Brotherhood" has developed activities in at least 70 countries and today operates as a global terrorist organization, which established roots in BiH even before World War II, and was closely connected during World War II with Alija Izetbegović. Župljanin said that in BiH the "Muslim Brotherhood" carries out its activities through the organization "Young Muslims," which is part of this terrorist organization's global network. "All terrorist activities worldwide over the past 15 years are in some way linked to BiH, whether the perpetrators hold BiH citizenship or were trained here," Župljanin said. According to him, the "Muslim Brotherhood" in BiH is increasingly operating through political structures, the religious community, non-governmental organizations, and unfortunately also through a radicalized segment of the academic community, and less through overtly military organizations - although the activities of some sports and other associations resemble paramilitary formations, as they are uniformed, armed, and trained for armed combat. "There is an attempt underway to institutionalize these organizations with the aim of making `political Islam` an acceptable model of governance at some point," Župljanin said, noting that the principles of the "Islamic Declaration" are being reaffirmed with a clearly formulated ultimate goal based on the numerical strength of Islamists. He said their objective is not only to overthrow non-Islamic authorities in BiH, but to create an entirely new, exclusively Islamic state. "This goal has been openly accepted for many years by official Bosniak elites and fully integrated into their political activities, regardless of which Bosniak or pro-Bosniak political party they belong to," Župljanin explained. He said there is a quiet personnel infiltration of Islamists into educational, cultural, political, and religious structures in BiH, accompanied by continuous internationalization of activities, particularly with countries such as Turkey, Qatar, and a number of European states. Župljanin recalled that the "Muslim Brotherhood" is on the blacklists of the EU and the United States, noting that Washington's latest decision clearly sends the message that there will be no compromise with their activities in the future. He emphasized that nothing will happen by itself, and that global and local forces advocating the creation of a peaceful environment for all and the development of countries under conditions of peace and stability must be strengthened and united. US President Donald Trump recently announced that he had signed a decision initiating the process of officially designating the "Muslim Brotherhood" as a terrorist organization.