Grandson of Muslim Brotherhood Founder Accused of Sexual Assault

An activist in France apparently inspired by the #MeToo campaign has come forward to accuse a well-known Islamic scholar of sexually assaulting her several years ago. Henda Ayari, an anti-extremism activist, had previously detailed the alleged 2012 assault in a memoir but only named him Friday. In a post on Facebook, Ayari identified her alleged attacker as Tariq Ramadan, the grandson of the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood and a well-known professor of Islamic Studies at Oxford University. Ayari, who said Ramadan threatened her and her children if she ever came forward, reportedly filed an official complaint of rape, sexual assault, and harassment with French prosecutors. “I will go all the way with this fight whatever it costs me,” she wrote. “I felt the need to speak also for all the other victims. I really hope that other women victims, like me, will dare to speak and denounce this perverse guru who uses religion to manipulate women!” she said. Ayari said she sought “ethical and religious” guidance from Ramadan until he allegedly assaulted her in a hotel room. Ramadan was previously banned from the U.S. for allegedly supporting a group with ties to Hamas.