Abu Alia whose real name is Efstathios T. has been banned from appearing in Germany because he is considered a “terrorist and hate preacher”.
So which nonchalant and Salafist-blind country did this extremist Islamist preacher choose?
Switzerland, because it appears more and more recommended for extremists rejected elsewhere in “Europe”.
In Switzerland, as a Salafist, you can hold a « propaganda » concert there without any problem: like in Bienne, a city which will be pleased to welcome it a few weeks after the anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Zurich by a 15-year-old boy. !
He had tried to perform in Germany, but the German-speaking press reported on it. DER WESTEN reported on the sermon secretly planned by the Salafist « Abu Alia al-Yunani » (the Greek) in Duisburg, then the event took place. It was quickly canceled.
The “Prophet of Terror” is considered a preacher of hatred. He was even classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a “threat”, meaning that the authorities saw a risk that he could commit “crimes of considerable importance” such as terrorism.
And Switzerland welcomes him with open arms!
Lien X Lotta Maier, journaliste indépendante
Namely that Salafist preaching does not represent moderate Islam, that of most Muslims.
On the contrary, Salafists stigmatize other Muslims, those who do not follow them and judge them, make them feel guilty. Salafists mainly target young people and converts because they are naive and need to prove their faith.
The Salafists break up families by endocrinizing young people, by dividing the Muslim community in their unbridled thirst for power and liberticidal and anti-democratic domination…
…and Switzerland accepts the concert of a preacher with an extremist Salafist movement!
Since October 7, Salafist groups have been able to find refuge in Switzerland without worry, they are aware of the legal and diplomatic flaws of the Confederation..
However, the Salafists have already harmed our young people in Switzerland!
« Swiss neutrality means nothing for the jihadists at war against the West […] nearly 70 young Swiss left to wage jihad. Many of them remember the land of disbelievers where they were born.” (Le Temps, 2016)
The French-speaking newspaper « Le Temps » had already warned of the danger of Salafism in its article « Salafism and conspiracy, the double engine of jihad in Switzerland » where it made particular reference to a former secret agent and to a journalist who retraced the history of Swiss jihadists in their book “Jihad as destiny, Switzerland as target?”, Lausanne, éditions Favre, 2016.
« Their message: Switzerland must prepare for an attack on its own soil, committed by one of its radicalized children. »
« A new generation of jihadists, born and radicalized in Switzerland, exposes the country to an unprecedented threat of attack,” say two experts in their book.
« These Salafist organizations thus provide “ready-to-think”, an ideological base which reinforces and facilitates the shift towards radicalization and jihad, asserts the book.
It is a basis on which young people build their identity and find the arguments to take the act of jihadA sort of essential background music to move on to the next stage.”
« The book discusses several cases of jihadists who have not been mentioned in the Swiss media.
Like that of a Somali from the Vaud Riviera who went to blow himself up in his country of origin in 2012.
Or that of an imam from Northern Vaud who would have played a role in the radicalization of Damien G
According to the DDPS, from 2012 to November 2023, 779 Internet users (743 in May 2023) were spotted by the SRC after having broadcast material in Switzerland or from our country advocating jihadist ideology, or by connecting with people in Switzerland or abroad who defend the same ideas.
The number of travelers motivated by jihad who, having left Switzerland, have been or are currently in conflict zones. Since 2001 and until 11.2023, 78 departures have been recorded to Syria and Iraq, 13 to Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and one to the Philippines. Some of these travelers are still there or passing from one conflict zone to another and 32 people have died.
3 children with at least one parent with Swiss nationality are currently in conflict zones. However, these children are not counted in the overall statistics.
Around ten jihad travelers with Swiss nationality (men, women and children) are currently in the Iraqi-Syrian conflict zone.
Suisse : convertis et radicalisés prêts à tuer
Suisse : Vaud, Genève, terre de djihadistes suisses
But this in no way prevents Switzerland from « authorizing » Salafist propaganda…
..For 10 years now, radical Salafist Islamic stands, close to Swiss and German jihadists in Syria, have been distributing Korans in French-speaking Switzerland: the “lies” project, a proselytizing operation.
At the time, Pascal Gemperli, president of the Vaud Union of Muslim Associations, explained that
« In principle, there is nothing problematic about distributing Qurans. All religions do it. However, I have fears about the intention of this group, especially when we see what they are doing in Germany: they have a discourse of victimization and exclusion of the Muslim community. Quite the opposite of the goal of our organization which is to integrate and live in harmony in Switzerland. »
10 years that Switzerland has “let this Salafist propaganda happen.”
Only the canton of Zurich has recommended that municipalities prohibit the distribution of the Koran by the association “Lies!” (“Lis!” in French) or related Salafist organizations. His decision is based on legal advice.
« Freedom of religion is not at stake,” declared Zurich Minister of Security Mario Fehr (PS).
» The security of the population and the need to prevent the recruitment of jihadists are at stake. »
« We don’t want to let these circles expand their ranks. »
The Zurich Security Department had also asked the Confederation to ban the Swiss branch of the organization « Die wahre Religion » (« The True Religion »): a Salafist organization banned in Germany in November 2016, suspected of recruiting future jihadists for the Islamic State group.
According to a German police report, this group is responsible for the radicalization of a quarter of the country’s jihadists.
In Switzerland too, experts consider the group to be a central actor in radicalization and a facilitator for the departure of jihadists to Syria and Iraq.
Regarding the organization “Lies!” (“Read!” in French), founded in Germany, it is active in all major cities and distributes Korans free of charge to passers-by in Winterthur (ZH), Zurich, Basel or Bern as well as in French-speaking Switzerland.
For the Federal Council, freedom of opinion and belief as well as freedom of assembly and association prevail.
To be able to ban “Lies!”, which aims to “a Koran in every home!”, it would be necessary to be able to prove the existence of an organizational structure in Switzerland, explained the federal councilor. The distribution of the Quran alone is not enough.
The former imam of Bienne, Abu Ramadan, who denigrated non-Muslims, believed that stoning was an appropriate punishment in cases of adultery.
Muslims then revolted and boycotted the Abu Ramadan mosque!
«With his preaching, he harmed the entire community and cast suspicion on all the faithful.”
Ahmed, fidèle de la mosquée Ar’Rahman à Bienne (24h)
Salafists still have a bright future in Switzerland…
Bienne should, however, look in its rearview mirror…its Ar’Rahman mosque where the president of the controversial Swiss Central Islamic Council (CCIS), Nicolas Blancho, had worked and taught, had young Biennes who frequented it: they would then have joined the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda….
From Bern, born in Bienne, married to a Muslim woman from Yemen and father of two children, he would also have religiously married a Kosova
Member of the committee of the “Overarching Cultural Community of Muslims of Bienne”, he still teaches in the Ar-Rahman mosque in Bienne.
It represents a Saudi-influenced practice of Wahhabist Islam, which excludes a modern interpretation of the scriptures.
He described stoning as “an element, a value of my religion”
, but which should not apply in the Swiss context.
Since 2003, Nicolas Blancho has been known for his fight for the introduction of sharia law in Switzerland.
In 2006, he organized demonstrations against the caricatures of Mohammed and against Charlie Hebdo.
Supported by Qatar, he heads the Swiss associations Aziz Aïd and Qoranona with Abdulaziz Abdulrahman H.A. Al-Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family...
Various newspaper articles highlight its links with terrorism.
He was indicted in September 2017 by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (MPC) for violating the law banning the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups, alongside two other leaders of the Swiss Central Islamic Council. (DCIS)…
Are the authorities in Bienne proud of having given authorization for a concert to a Salafist preacher…and this…a few weeks after a terrorist attack in Switzerland by a young endocrine person? No guilty conscience?
Schaffter Coralie
Le réseau des salafistes en Suisse: bien plus qu’un fantasme : interview de Saïda Keller-Messahli
Swiss Women in politics 