The EU And Its Use Of Rights Groups Against Other States – OpEd

By Ali Bluwi

I had the opportunity to read two reports on the relationship between the Muslim Brotherhood and Britain and their relationship with the Freemason movement. I also read a report on Rashin Ghanoshi and Khairat Al-Shater — two leading figures of the Muslim Brotherhood who have used religion as a cover for business and politics.

The latter is far from religion and closer to being a secular businessman. A friend of mine confided to me that Al-Shater told American officials they do not have to spend their money on TV stations or radio programs to improve their image in the Islamic world. He offered to help them with one single religious verdict in exchange for money.

Al-Shater believes in using all available elements of force and established a special lobby within the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, he was behind the election of Muhammad Mursi as a member of the Office of Guidance.

Al-Shater dominated key economic activities in Egypt to the extent that renowned sociologist Saad Eddin Ibrahim said that the Brothers have switched from control over the revolution to control over wealth.

The above statement is not without evidence. Al-Shater confirmed at a meeting of the Office of Guidance that he received a green light to control one of the Gulf countries; either Kuwait or the United Arab Emirates. Their attempt in the UAE failed as 64 people who attempted a coup were arrested. Many were Egyptian and Syrian Brothers who came to the UAEs after years of inactivity in their home countries.

Information leaks allege that Yusuf Al-Qaradawi was also involved in the revolution. This is said to be the reason behind the disagreement between Egypt and the UAE. Dahi Khalfan, head of the Dubai police, spoke about the externally supported Brother project in the Gulf. Failing to affect the required change in the UAE, they tried to do the same in Kuwait but the Kuwaitis were able to put a stop to it.

In another meeting, Al-Shater was reported to have said he would blackmail the Gulf countries and have sleeper cells work in the Gulf for Egypt to gain billions of dollars. He thinks that talking about religion will justify his wrongdoings as if the end justifies the means. Because he was emboldened, he paid a secret visit to the Emirates and announced in Cairo he would come back with several projects. When he arrived in the Emirates, he was denied a meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed until he offered a public apology and promised not to interfere in their country’s internal affairs. He also tried to contact the families of the 64 arrested, a move that forced the UAE authorities to expel him.

It is worth noting that Al-Shater believes in reaching out to foreign human rights and civil society organizations. Al-Shater, who lived in London and Washington for years, said the Gulf countries that refused to pay Egypt would be subjected to criticism from these foreign human rights organizations. He used his relations with the British Parliament and the European Parliament to open files concerning human rights in Bahrain and the Emirates. As the issue was exposed, the European Parliament modified a draft resolution on human rights in the Emirates while the British Parliament reconsidered its stance on human rights in Bahrain. The modifications added by the European Parliament to the initial draft revealed their secret relations with the Muslim Brotherhood. The European Parliament was hesitant to play into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood. While referring to the 64 arrested in the UAE the draft includes issues such as women and labor rights.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are organizations that can be used as tools by European countries. Add to these the Guardian newspaper. This newspaper is acting like a mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood.
Western countries use these organizations to disparage a country and as a result European countries derive concessions and sign contracts with the victim country on their terms. This is now being replicated by the Muslim Brothers.

Our people no longer pay attention to these organizations. We know that some Western embassies offer any adventurist political asylum. The objective is not linked to humanitarian issue as much as it is for using him or her as a tool to serve the interest of these countries. They may instigate a person and help him become prominent. The person may seem to be a vocal critic of the West and Israel. But he is, in fact, working secretly for them. This is a practice of the past and our people now understand such ploys.

The Gulf countries may, under popular pressure, suspend negotiations with the European community after the discovery of their double standard. These countries may create a united Gulf fund for economic support and use it to punish and politically deprive those who may try to interfere in their internal affairs. We all know that double standard is part of European political strategy and it shows the European mindset that is based on opportunism. The Gulf countries should reconsider their relations with these countries and keep their own interests above everything.

Europeans will realize if Gulf countries start using the economic card. Look at China, for example, despite its differences with our policies and its adherence to its principles in dealing with others, it makes no attempt to mess in others’ internal affairs. This country as well as Russia — in spite of our poor opinion about its Middle East policies — are countries that have a promising future in view of the attitude of European and Western countries.

In the nutshell, the European Parliament has been exposed as a tool to serve European interests. Its latest position exposed its lack of commitment to democratic values that European countries brag about. We know that these civil society organizations are nothing but outposts for Western intelligence agencies in this part of the world.