The transnational Sunni Islamist organisation Muslim Brotherhood is attempting to expand its influence in India through groups like the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, top Intelligence sources have told CNN-News18.
The controversial PFI, which faced a series of raids across several Indian states on Thursday, is in touch with MB leaders Muhammad Mahdi and Yusuf Al Qaradawi, they added.
The Muslim Brotherhood won Egypt’s first free presidential election in 2012, but was overthrown by the military a year later after mass protests against its rule and has endured a fierce crackdown by authorities since then. It has been outlawed in the country and several others in West Asia.
PFI’s ideology is similar to that of Muslim Brotherhood as both believe in politicising Islam and unity of ummah (community of believers).
Like MB, PFI has been carrying out educational programmes and social services. Both have a similar objective of re-establishing a World Islamic Caliphate, say officials.
The similarities don’t end there. While MB calls its cadres The Brothers, a PFI worker is called Banda.
According to the sources, the PFI front organisations in West Asia have direct linkages with Muslim Brotherhood.
Dr Abdul Salam Ahmed, who is an Islamic scholar and rector of Al Jamia Al Islamia University in Kerala, visited Qatar and raised funds for the PFI from West Asia, they added.
This, said sources, was organised with the help of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood scholar Yusuf Al Qaradawi, who is also in Qatar.
The PFI is also in touch with Turkey-based NGOs that are the local chapter of Muslim Brotherhood, they maintained.
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