Far-right Telegram groups incite against Arabs and Muslims in France

An investigation published by the Islamophobic platform Thajamat has revealed far-right Telegram groups tasked with incitement against Arabs and prominent figures against Islamophobia and racism in France.

The investigation, which was published by the platform on its Twitter page, shed light on shocking information related to more than 20 far-right groups, including the parent group called "Friedter" and a sub-group, all of which include activists and members of the police force, and serve the course of incitement against Arabs and Muslims and try to target them.

🚨 THREAD – Une vingtaine de groupes néo-nazi infiltré, appel aux meurtres, menace de mort contre un élu, ratonnades, des centaines de personnes impliquées dont des militaires et policiers.

Notre enquête choc sur le groupuscule «FRDETER». #FRDeterGate pic.twitter.com/NfyXLLV3NW

— Tajmaât (@Tajmaat_Service) April 2, 2023

The investigation showed audio messages to the group's founder, asserting that the enemies now are Arabs, Muslims and blacks, and proposing the creation of field groups in order to target them in the streets.

The group drew up a main list of names that includes MPs, left-wing activists and lawyers to target and attack them directly, such as Louis Boyard, a member of parliament for the Proud France movement, who was described as a "cancer" and whose phone number was published along with his party colleague Daniel Abunou, who was described as a "monkey".

🚫 SIGNALEMENT – Dans un groupe Telégram réunissant 939 internautes, des appels aux meurtres et des messages extrêmements violents à l'encontre des #Maghrébins sont lancés.

Nous vous demandons de signaler ce canal Telégram ⤵️ : https://t.co/GPMjKHoTbq pic.twitter.com/0Medd7YgeE

— Tajmaât (@Tajmaat_Service) March 4, 2023

The list included a number of activists as targets of liquidation or attack, such as anti-Islamophobic Elias Imzalen, journalist of Algerian origin Taha Bouhafs, lawyer Nabil Boudai, and activist of Moroccan origin Siham Asbagh, along with all information related to them such as their addresses, phone numbers, e-mails and other personal information.

Une nouvelle fois présent sur une liste établie par des nazillons, quel honneur. https://t.co/S8PpqzMQ5f

— Nabil Boudi (@BoudiNabil) April 2, 2023

Activist and journalist Bouhafs said that the threats have become more serious than before, especially with the presence of a number of police officers and armed "sick" people among these groups, asking in the same context: Why did the authorities not lift a finger?

Les menaces sont très claires.
Ces groupes neo-nazis appellent à des attentats ciblés contre nous.

Vu le nombre de malades armés qui sont dans leurs rangs, la menace est réelle.

Cela fait des années que nous sommes menacés nommément par ces groupes. Que font les autorités ? https://t.co/YRgg3CJD2R pic.twitter.com/mui7SudYd9

— Taha Bouhafs (@T_Bouhafs) April 3, 2023

Activist Imzalen wrote on his Twitter account: "I learned that I became the target of the fire of an anti-Islamic terrorist group, if something happened to me, the French state is responsible for the incident."

"Si ça peut donner des idées à certains." J'apprends que je suis désigné comme cible à abattre par un groupe terroriste islamophobe.

Ce groupe comprend policiers, fonctionnaires & militaires.

S'il m'arrivait malheur, sachez que les responsables sont l'État français & les média. https://t.co/TJ1JIK1B2d pic.twitter.com/XonYfbR3Li

— Elias d'Imzalène (@imzalene) April 2, 2023

Anthony Liamon of Proud France MP wrote to Interior Minister Gérard Darmanin: "Instead of attacking the opposition, you should seek to protect our citizens threatened with death by the Friedter Group."

Plutôt que d’attaquer l’opposition, @GDarmanin devrait nous dire ce qu’il compte faire pour protéger nos compatriotes menacés par le #FrDeterGate.

Il y a urgence.

Le terrorisme d’extrême droite doit être empêché.

— Antoine Léaument 🇫🇷 (@ALeaument) April 2, 2023

"Generation of Hate"

This is not the first time that groups and accounts have been exposed on social media platforms whose mission is to incite against Arabs and Muslims in France, amid fears of a rise in far-right violence.

In 2018, Al Jazeera published an investigative film entitled "The Hate Generation", in which it documented in audio and video shocking statements by elements affiliated with the French extreme right inciting the killing and targeting of Muslims, and belonging to the Nazi-oriented "identity group".

Al Jazeera's film documented violent, shocking scenes and racist language of members of the extremist group performing Nazi salutes before a girl of Maghreb origin was severely beaten in Lille.

The film also included racist statements by a member of the "identity group" during his incitement to kill and target Muslims, saying, "If one day I get a chronic disease that cannot be cured, I will buy a gun and commit a massacre in a mosque, for example."

In 2011, the "identity group" occupied a mosque under construction in the western city of Poitiers, where its members raised a banner recalling the defeat of the Muslims against the Frankish army in southern France under the command of Charles Martel in 732 AD.

The French Council of the Muslim Religion at the time called on the authorities to disband the extremist movement, but the government only prosecuted it in court for its racist slogans.

Marine Le Pen's far-right party includes a number of individuals belonging to the "Identity Group" movement known for their hatred of Islam and Muslims, and their belief that France is being subjected to what they call an "Islamic invasion."