Munaeem's Blog: Are there radical Muslim or Muslim groups in Italy?

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Are there radical Muslim or Muslim groups in Italy?

There are several Muslim organizations in Italy, including the Union of Islamic Organizations and Communities (UCOII), which is one of the main Italian Islamic associations

. The UCOII claims that its ties are limited to the personal militancy of their leadership and the management of UCOII relates more closely to other groups such as the European Council for Fatwa and Research, European Islam, scholars like the Mufti of Egypt Ali Gomaa, Tariq Ramadan

. Other Muslim organizations in Italy include the Islamic Cultural Center of Italy (CICI), which has its seat in the Mosque of Rome, reputed to be the largest mosque in Europe, and the Comunità Religiosa Islamica Italiana (COREIS)

.According to a report, there is a widespread threat of radicalization in Italy, and there are individuals who have been radicalized inside Italy

. However, Italy does not have as acute a radicalization problem as some other European countries

.In 2021, Italy's Interior Ministry and the country's nine major Islamic associations signed an unprecedented agreement. Muslim organizations agreed to create a registry of their imams and to require them to preach in Italian. In return, the government vowed to "facilitate the path" toward the official recognition of Islam in Italy

.Recently, a right-wing coalition party in the Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has prepared a draft law intended to ban Muslim prayer spaces outside of mosques, according to local media

. The bill, which aims to clamp down on these places, has a provision that would allow prayers there only if the religious activities in question are regulated by an agreement with the Italian state. Drafted in such a way, the bill would mainly affect Italy's Muslim community, since it is the largest religious group in the country that does not have any such agreement with the state

.In conclusion, there are Muslim organizations in Italy, and while there is a threat of radicalization, Italy does not have as acute a radicalization problem as some other European countries.