Contemporary Islamism in Spain: A Landscape Dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood

The author identifies the Muslim Brotherhood as the most visible representative of the Islamist scene in Spain. One of its main characteristics is its bifurcated structure. One branch, made up of a small group of first-generation individuals from the Middle East who immigrated in the 1960s–1970s and were actively involved in the institutionalization of Islam in Spain, focuses on high-level political lobbying and official community representation. A younger and more dynamic branch, composed mainly of North Africans who immigrated in the 1980s, second-generation Spanish Muslims, and converts, focuses on grassroots activism and strengthening local associations. However, the most troubling feature—that also distinguishes the Brotherhood in Spain from its offshoots in other countries—is the involvement of a non-negligible number of its members in terrorist activities.