Comprehensive Roadmap Proposed at Trends Forum to Combat Extremism in Political Islam

Middle East Experts Expose the Hidden Networks Fueling Global Extremism

A major conference in Abu Dhabi has revealed striking parallels between seemingly disparate extremist movements worldwide, from political Islam to far-right nationalism, as security experts warn that traditional counter-terrorism approaches are failing to address the ideological roots of radicalization. The findings suggest that extremist groups across the political spectrum share common recruitment tactics, funding mechanisms, and propaganda strategies that governments have yet to fully counter.

The Convergence of Extremist Ideologies

The fifth annual forum on political Islam, hosted by the Trends Research and Advisory Center, brought together Arab and international experts under the theme "Shared Violence: Modern Approaches to Ideological Extremism Patterns." The conference's central finding challenges conventional wisdom about extremist movements operating in isolation.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Ali, CEO of Trends Research Center, emphasized that the forum has become a crucial global platform for mapping new knowledge territories that reveal "hidden threads where violence intersects between seemingly distant currents such as Islamism, far-right extremism, and radical leftism."

Beyond Security Solutions

Participants concluded that confronting extremism requires comprehensive, multi-level approaches that extend far beyond security solutions alone. The strategy must encompass intellectual, social, and cultural dimensions while strengthening democratic values and rule of law—a recognition that mirrors similar policy shifts in Europe and North America following decades of primarily military-focused counter-terrorism efforts.

The Muslim Brotherhood as an Ideological Incubator

Dr. Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri, director of Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities, delivered perhaps the conference's most pointed analysis, describing the Muslim Brotherhood as "a seed that produced most branches of contemporary extremism." His assessment reflects growing regional consensus about the organization's role in modern radicalization.

Al Dhaheri argued that since 1928, the Brotherhood has falsely claimed that establishing a caliphate is a pillar of religion and governance is one of its fundamentals. "They stripped religion from its moral and spiritual message and transformed it into an ideological system based on misleading discourse," he stated, echoing criticisms that have led several countries—including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—to classify the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.

The Victimhood Strategy

The university director outlined what he called the Brotherhood's systematic exploitation of grievance narratives: "They use victimhood discourse as a ladder to reach their goals. Victimhood discourse is a repeated trick and pressure card they use to spread their lies."

This analysis aligns with research from European security agencies, which have documented how extremist groups across the spectrum—from jihadist organizations to white nationalist movements—employ similar victimization narratives to justify violence and recruit followers.

European Warnings About Infiltration

Sir Liam Fox, former British Defense Secretary, provided a stark assessment of how European tolerance has been exploited by extremist groups. He warned that allowing bigotry to spread has made the West, particularly Britain, a haven for groups like the Brotherhood, who have exploited mosques for incitement.

Fox challenged the terminology commonly used in policy circles: "The term 'religious extremists' is inaccurate. They are not religious people, but individuals who use religion to achieve political and authoritarian goals." This distinction has become increasingly important as European governments struggle to balance religious freedom with security concerns.

The Digital Amplification Effect

Fiyaz Mughal, founder of Faith Matters in the UK, explained how extremism emerges from combining real grievances—such as marginalization and unemployment—with identity conflicts, amplified through social media platforms that magnify grievances. This digital dimension represents one of the most challenging aspects of modern counter-extremism efforts, as traditional regulatory approaches struggle to keep pace with online radicalization.

Following the Money Trail

French Senator Nathalie Goulet highlighted a crucial but often overlooked aspect of extremist operations: their financial networks. She identified violence as a common thread between political Islam and far-right movements, emphasizing their shared financial dimensions, including mysterious funding structures and misuse of charitable organizations and encrypted assets.

This financial analysis reflects growing international focus on disrupting extremist funding networks, similar to approaches used against traditional organized crime. Dharar Belhoul Al Falasi, Chairman and CEO of Council Group, specifically called for preventing Brotherhood funding sources, particularly in Europe, where the organization maintains extensive financial networks.

The Italian Model

Professor Alessandro Ferrari from Italy's University of Insubria presented the Italian experience as a model for balancing public order protection with respect for religious pluralism. This approach has gained attention as European countries seek alternatives to France's more restrictive secularism model or Britain's historically permissive multiculturalism.

New Counter-Extremism Strategies

The conference emphasized moving beyond reactive security measures toward proactive ideological engagement. Dr. Wael Saleh, advisor on political Islam and extremism affairs at Trends, stressed the need to expose organizational and behavioral commonalities between different extremist patterns.

Saleh outlined how ideological violence represents a structural choice across Islamist, far-right, and radical left movements, sharing closed mental structures, emotional mobilization mechanisms, binary worldviews, and symbolic violence displays. This analysis suggests that counter-extremism strategies could be more effective by addressing these common elements rather than treating each movement separately.

Educational and Cultural Battlegrounds

Multiple speakers emphasized protecting educational institutions from what they termed "movement religiosity" through teaching critical thinking skills and dismantling narratives that justify violence. This educational focus reflects lessons learned from deradicalization programs in countries like Denmark and Germany, where community-based interventions have shown more success than purely punitive approaches.

A Four-Pronged Response Strategy

In an exclusive interview, former British Defense Secretary Fox outlined a comprehensive strategy for combating extremism that governments could adapt globally:

First, governments must address funding sources, using all available tools to eliminate money flows to extremist organizations. Second, the ideological battle requires active engagement rather than passive response—authorities cannot simply allow extremists to dominate social media and other expression platforms. Third, addressing recruitment environments means targeting the disaffected, frustrated, uneducated, and economically marginalized populations that extremists exploit. Fourth, empowering women to engage other women within these groups ensures they are not treated as second-class citizens or male property.

The Path Forward

Professor Patrice Brodeur from Montreal University's Institute of Religious Studies emphasized that understanding violent extremism's roots requires recognizing historical causes that have led to different interpretations of history—interpretations rooted in trauma, fears, insecurity, and anger that need addressing through respectful dialogue spaces.

The conference's conclusions suggest that the next phase of global counter-extremism efforts will likely focus more heavily on ideological engagement, educational reform, and addressing the social conditions that make extremist narratives appealing. This represents a significant evolution from the primarily security-focused approaches that have dominated since 9/11.

As extremist movements continue adapting their strategies and exploiting new technologies and social grievances, the Abu Dhabi forum's emphasis on understanding shared patterns across different ideological movements may prove crucial for developing more effective responses. The challenge now lies in translating these insights into practical policies that can be implemented across different political and cultural contexts worldwide.