Nov 13, 5:01 AM
Clan Leader's Presence at EU Parliament Islamism Conference Prompts EPP Denial
Organizers distance themselves after Berlin clan head Issa Remmo appears at a Brussels event on religious extremism
The presence of Berlin clan leader Issa Remmo at a conference against Islamism in the European Parliament on Thursday has drawn formal disavowals from event organizers and parliamentary representatives in Brussels. The European People's Party group stated that neither its leadership nor any of its lawmakers had extended an invitation to Remmo.
The conference, titled "Democracies facing Islamism: Wake up, resist, rebuild", was co-organized by French MEP Céline Imart and French Imam Hassen Chalghoumi, bringing together Muslim clerics, representatives of Jewish organisations, and European lawmakers. An EPP spokesperson stated that Issa Remmo was neither invited by one of the MEPs nor by the EPP group, adding that the parliamentary group provided no financial backing for the event and maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding political and religious extremism.
Imart stated to German media that she and Chalghoumi only learned of the allegations against Remmo after the conference had concluded. She issued an apology to anyone affected by his presence and noted that the participant list had been transmitted to police forces beforehand for standard security verification.
According to reporting by German news outlets, Remmo stated that he attended at the invitation of Chalghoumi, with whom he had established contact during the Imam's visit to Berlin the previous year. Following the conference, Remmo met with French-Jewish writer Marek Halter and told reporters that he intended to combat antisemitism.
Remmo's participation in political events previously caused controversy in September after he attended a Berlin election party held by Die Linke, drawing scrutiny toward lawmaker Ferat Koçak. Remmo subsequently expressed disappointment with Die Linke and stated that he has founded his own political group named Der Weg zum Licht, an initiative he previously stated he would pursue upon obtaining German citizenship.
Written by Freya Stensrud freya.stensrud@alpineweekly.com
