Disrupting Terror Networks: How the 2026 U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy Targets Muslim Brotherhood Financing and Recruitment
The 2026 U.S. Counterterrorism Strategy Muslim Brotherhood financial disruption framework targets what experts call the "primary tumor" of global extremism. Since January 2026, the U.S. has designated four Muslim Brotherhood branches as Foreign Terrorist Organizations or Specially Designated Global Terrorists . But designations alone are insufficient — the strategy explicitly targets financing networks operating across more than 30 countries . How Does the Muslim Brotherhood Finance Its Operations Through Charities? The concept of "financial jihad" (al-jihad bil-mal) transforms charitable giving into a religious mandate for armed struggle. According to an Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs report published in February 2026, senior religious figures including Ayatollah Khomeini and Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi issued fatwas authorizing zakat funds (Islamic alms) to finance militants . The Union of Good — an umbrella for over 50 Islamic charities worldwide — operates ...