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| How Molenbeek fought back against Isis – with football | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A red baseball cap provides Azmani Ridoin with only minor relief against the dazzling autumn sun as he squints across an artificial football pitch to scrutinise every move being made by his players. | A red baseball cap provides Azmani Ridoin with only minor relief against the dazzling autumn sun as he squints across an artificial football pitch to scrutinise every move being made by his players. |
| Like any self-respecting coach, he has little time for slackers as he furiously blows his whistle at the guilty while throaty barks of “voilà” are hurled at those whose efforts deserve recognition. Once the routine drills of sprinting, skipping and ball control are over, the 24 youngsters break into two groups for an intense practice match that is intermittently stopped as Ridoin remonstrates with his charges, who are struggling to adapt to a new tactical formation. | Like any self-respecting coach, he has little time for slackers as he furiously blows his whistle at the guilty while throaty barks of “voilà” are hurled at those whose efforts deserve recognition. Once the routine drills of sprinting, skipping and ball control are over, the 24 youngsters break into two groups for an intense practice match that is intermittently stopped as Ridoin remonstrates with his charges, who are struggling to adapt to a new tactical formation. |
| It is a tough, no-nonsense approach that some may consider harsh given the tender years of those on the pitch, but it is paying dividends. The under-12s of Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek are reigning champions and currently top of their league – and last season they lifted the trophy in a 24-team tournament in Spain in which children from Real Madrid, Barcelona and other leading European sides also competed. | It is a tough, no-nonsense approach that some may consider harsh given the tender years of those on the pitch, but it is paying dividends. The under-12s of Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek are reigning champions and currently top of their league – and last season they lifted the trophy in a 24-team tournament in Spain in which children from Real Madrid, Barcelona and other leading European sides also competed. |
| Ridoin calls an end to proceedings and his players trudge off the pitch in sweat-drenched shirts to be met by more straight talking and what have become his trademark words: “Discipline on the pitch means discipline off it,” he warns. “Focus on your studies and keep good company. And remember: you play for the whole of Molenbeek.” | Ridoin calls an end to proceedings and his players trudge off the pitch in sweat-drenched shirts to be met by more straight talking and what have become his trademark words: “Discipline on the pitch means discipline off it,” he warns. “Focus on your studies and keep good company. And remember: you play for the whole of Molenbeek.” |
| As he reminds them of the kick-off time for their next match, Ridoin, 46 and an engineer by profession, justifies his tough-love methods. | As he reminds them of the kick-off time for their next match, Ridoin, 46 and an engineer by profession, justifies his tough-love methods. |
| “They are still young and do not understand the problems they will face as they get older because in Belgium it’s hard to be accepted if you are Muslim,” he says. “We want them to be well-educated, strong individuals who will overcome any hurdles in a positive way.” | “They are still young and do not understand the problems they will face as they get older because in Belgium it’s hard to be accepted if you are Muslim,” he says. “We want them to be well-educated, strong individuals who will overcome any hurdles in a positive way.” |
| The weary youngsters make their way home, chatting and passing a ball, along streets that first hit the headlines last year when 130 people were killed in the terror attacks in Paris. The ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, and three of the other suspected attackers grew up in Molenbeek, including Salah Abdeslam, who, after a four-month manhunt, was arrested in his home neighbourhood just five minutes from the Sipelberg stadium where the Académie train and play. | The weary youngsters make their way home, chatting and passing a ball, along streets that first hit the headlines last year when 130 people were killed in the terror attacks in Paris. The ringleader, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, and three of the other suspected attackers grew up in Molenbeek, including Salah Abdeslam, who, after a four-month manhunt, was arrested in his home neighbourhood just five minutes from the Sipelberg stadium where the Académie train and play. |
| Molenbeek’s notoriety did not end there, however. Some of the bombers who took part in the attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station in March, killing 32 people, were found to have links to the area. Ayoub el-Khazzani, a Moroccan national suspected of opening fire on a train between Brussels and Paris last August, was also from Molenbeek, while Mehdi Nemmouche, who is accused of killing four people at a Jewish museum in Brussels in 2014, once lived in the area. | Molenbeek’s notoriety did not end there, however. Some of the bombers who took part in the attacks on Brussels airport and a metro station in March, killing 32 people, were found to have links to the area. Ayoub el-Khazzani, a Moroccan national suspected of opening fire on a train between Brussels and Paris last August, was also from Molenbeek, while Mehdi Nemmouche, who is accused of killing four people at a Jewish museum in Brussels in 2014, once lived in the area. |
| Figures later published showed that of the 543 Belgians who had gone to fight in Syria – the highest per head in Europe – 47 came from Molenbeek’s 100,000-strong population. | Figures later published showed that of the 543 Belgians who had gone to fight in Syria – the highest per head in Europe – 47 came from Molenbeek’s 100,000-strong population. |
| Within days of the Paris attacks, the compact Brussels district was flooded by police, soldiers and an army of journalists from around the world. The various undesirable sobriquets they gave the area have stuck: “The Islamic state of Molenbeek”; “Europe’s jihadi capital” and “Europe’s jihadi heaven,” to name but a few. | Within days of the Paris attacks, the compact Brussels district was flooded by police, soldiers and an army of journalists from around the world. The various undesirable sobriquets they gave the area have stuck: “The Islamic state of Molenbeek”; “Europe’s jihadi capital” and “Europe’s jihadi heaven,” to name but a few. |
| In the 12 months since the Paris attacks, on 13 November 2015, the people of Molenbeek have been trying to rebuild its battered reputation and also get to grips with the underlying problems they say pushed some of its young men towards violent Islamic fundamentalism. And football has become key to this. | In the 12 months since the Paris attacks, on 13 November 2015, the people of Molenbeek have been trying to rebuild its battered reputation and also get to grips with the underlying problems they say pushed some of its young men towards violent Islamic fundamentalism. And football has become key to this. |
| Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek was founded in 2004 by Omar Tizguine – who is also the club secretary – and a group of friends who felt they were being discriminated against by other Brussels teams on account of their Moroccan backgrounds. | Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek was founded in 2004 by Omar Tizguine – who is also the club secretary – and a group of friends who felt they were being discriminated against by other Brussels teams on account of their Moroccan backgrounds. |
| Over the past year its numbers have more than doubled to above 500 as players flood to join its ranks, driven by parents, imams and the wider community who maintain that delinquency, poor education and social alienation allowed the likes of Salah Abdeslam and his brother Ibrahim, who blew himself up in Paris last November, to be exploited by Islamic State recruiters. | Over the past year its numbers have more than doubled to above 500 as players flood to join its ranks, driven by parents, imams and the wider community who maintain that delinquency, poor education and social alienation allowed the likes of Salah Abdeslam and his brother Ibrahim, who blew himself up in Paris last November, to be exploited by Islamic State recruiters. |
| Around 41% of the residents of Molenbeek – which is a short walk from Brussels city centre – are Muslim (compared with 6% for Belgium as a whole), the bulk of Moroccan descent. The area suffers from 30% unemployment, compared with the national average of 8.5%, while youth unemployment is even higher, at 40%. | Around 41% of the residents of Molenbeek – which is a short walk from Brussels city centre – are Muslim (compared with 6% for Belgium as a whole), the bulk of Moroccan descent. The area suffers from 30% unemployment, compared with the national average of 8.5%, while youth unemployment is even higher, at 40%. |
| Despite high levels of deprivation and petty crime, those entering a district dubbed by many as a “hostile Muslim enclave” will be in for disappointment if they are expecting an aggressive reception from fundamentalist hotheads. | Despite high levels of deprivation and petty crime, those entering a district dubbed by many as a “hostile Muslim enclave” will be in for disappointment if they are expecting an aggressive reception from fundamentalist hotheads. |
| Molenbeek’s sedate, well-swept streets are lined with cafes serving visitors mint tea, Moroccan delicacies and a warm smile. Any heated conversation, if they want one, is mostly likely to centre on football. Chic eateries and even a boutique hotel have sprung up among its apartment blocks, halal butchers and greengrocers, suggesting a modicum of gentrification. | Molenbeek’s sedate, well-swept streets are lined with cafes serving visitors mint tea, Moroccan delicacies and a warm smile. Any heated conversation, if they want one, is mostly likely to centre on football. Chic eateries and even a boutique hotel have sprung up among its apartment blocks, halal butchers and greengrocers, suggesting a modicum of gentrification. |
| Over a traditional Moroccan breakfast of sweet milky coffee and pitta filled with cheese and honey, Tizguine’s face contorts with anger as he recounts what he and other locals refer to as the “collective punishment” meted out to them. “All of us have been portrayed as terrorist monsters and stigmatised by politicians and the media,” he railed. “I fully accept that we have problems but there is good and bad in every community. | Over a traditional Moroccan breakfast of sweet milky coffee and pitta filled with cheese and honey, Tizguine’s face contorts with anger as he recounts what he and other locals refer to as the “collective punishment” meted out to them. “All of us have been portrayed as terrorist monsters and stigmatised by politicians and the media,” he railed. “I fully accept that we have problems but there is good and bad in every community. |
| “For one whole month after the Paris attack I was asked every day by journalists if I had gone to Syria, ever thought about going there or knew anybody who had gone there. People think we are all members of the Islamic State. But I let football do my talking and we are using it to make our community a better place to live.” | “For one whole month after the Paris attack I was asked every day by journalists if I had gone to Syria, ever thought about going there or knew anybody who had gone there. People think we are all members of the Islamic State. But I let football do my talking and we are using it to make our community a better place to live.” |
| Utilising the beautiful game to overcome the Molenbeek “monster” stereotype has become central to the club’s ethos. All players are instructed to shake hands with opponents before and after games, arguing with match officials is prohibited and visiting teams are often treated to food and drinks. The result is that all 10 teams of the Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek, from the seven-year-olds to the over-18s, have the best disciplinary record in their respective leagues, while last season it was voted the friendliest club. | Utilising the beautiful game to overcome the Molenbeek “monster” stereotype has become central to the club’s ethos. All players are instructed to shake hands with opponents before and after games, arguing with match officials is prohibited and visiting teams are often treated to food and drinks. The result is that all 10 teams of the Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek, from the seven-year-olds to the over-18s, have the best disciplinary record in their respective leagues, while last season it was voted the friendliest club. |
| Virtually all its players are Muslim and live locally. As part of the club’s drive to tackle the more endemic problems they face, each has to show his school report and attendance record at least once every three months to prove he is keeping up with his studies, while coaches regularly meet with parents to discuss their social development and address any behavioural concerns. | Virtually all its players are Muslim and live locally. As part of the club’s drive to tackle the more endemic problems they face, each has to show his school report and attendance record at least once every three months to prove he is keeping up with his studies, while coaches regularly meet with parents to discuss their social development and address any behavioural concerns. |
| Tizguine said: “Our priority is not football but discipline and keeping children off the street. Many boys in Molenbeek are poorly educated and unemployed: they get into bad company and this makes them vulnerable. We make it clear that if you do not focus on school and don’t behave in all areas of your life, you cannot be part of this club.” | Tizguine said: “Our priority is not football but discipline and keeping children off the street. Many boys in Molenbeek are poorly educated and unemployed: they get into bad company and this makes them vulnerable. We make it clear that if you do not focus on school and don’t behave in all areas of your life, you cannot be part of this club.” |
| Mohamed Tabakkalt, the club’s sporting director, added: “Since the Paris attacks, parents are scared for their sons and they want to get them involved in something positive. We are struggling to keep up with the demand because so many boys want to join us.” | Mohamed Tabakkalt, the club’s sporting director, added: “Since the Paris attacks, parents are scared for their sons and they want to get them involved in something positive. We are struggling to keep up with the demand because so many boys want to join us.” |
| Molenbeek’s “terrorist” tag, however, has weighed heavily at times over the past year. Attempts to recruit white footballers from outside the area in order to create more integrated teams have failed, while existing white players have left because of fears that it’s a dangerous place to visit. Earlier this year, all 26 teams scheduled to take part in an annual girls’ tournament cancelled for the same reason, while the boys’ teams did not organise one at all. Players from Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek have also been verbally abused on the pitch, called “terrorists” and “gangsters”. | Molenbeek’s “terrorist” tag, however, has weighed heavily at times over the past year. Attempts to recruit white footballers from outside the area in order to create more integrated teams have failed, while existing white players have left because of fears that it’s a dangerous place to visit. Earlier this year, all 26 teams scheduled to take part in an annual girls’ tournament cancelled for the same reason, while the boys’ teams did not organise one at all. Players from Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek have also been verbally abused on the pitch, called “terrorists” and “gangsters”. |
| The club has also had to have some difficult conversations with its players over the past year, most of them nothing to do with football. Meetings have been held to address concerns raised by inquisitive youngsters seeking explanations about Molenbeek’s links with Paris, Brussels and other attacks and the impact it has had on their lives. The likes of Salah Abdesalam, who is awaiting trial in Paris, are held up as anti-role models. | The club has also had to have some difficult conversations with its players over the past year, most of them nothing to do with football. Meetings have been held to address concerns raised by inquisitive youngsters seeking explanations about Molenbeek’s links with Paris, Brussels and other attacks and the impact it has had on their lives. The likes of Salah Abdesalam, who is awaiting trial in Paris, are held up as anti-role models. |
| The club’s work is supported by Françoise Schepmans, the mayor of Molenbeek, who has launched a wide-ranging plan centred on education and sport to try to combat some of the problems young people in the area face. | The club’s work is supported by Françoise Schepmans, the mayor of Molenbeek, who has launched a wide-ranging plan centred on education and sport to try to combat some of the problems young people in the area face. |
| Like many of her constituents, she also believes that delinquency and poor education within Molenbeek, rather than an ingrained, widespread sympathy for violent Islamic extremism, explain the radicalisation of Abdesalem and his cohorts. | Like many of her constituents, she also believes that delinquency and poor education within Molenbeek, rather than an ingrained, widespread sympathy for violent Islamic extremism, explain the radicalisation of Abdesalem and his cohorts. |
| This was borne out recently by the findings of a comprehensive two-month survey of Molenbeek residents from all religious backgrounds by the European Institute of Peace. The majority felt a lack of opportunities, social isolation and poor education were the main reasons for violent Islamic extremism. The top three issues they listed as affecting them were unemployment, poor education and antisocial behaviour, with the majority calling for a stronger police presence to make their community safer. Around 90% said they did not trust politicians and journalists because of the way they had portrayed their home district. | This was borne out recently by the findings of a comprehensive two-month survey of Molenbeek residents from all religious backgrounds by the European Institute of Peace. The majority felt a lack of opportunities, social isolation and poor education were the main reasons for violent Islamic extremism. The top three issues they listed as affecting them were unemployment, poor education and antisocial behaviour, with the majority calling for a stronger police presence to make their community safer. Around 90% said they did not trust politicians and journalists because of the way they had portrayed their home district. |
| Schepmans said: “If you look at somebody like Abdesalam, he was part of a group of petty criminals and we had no way of knowing that these delinquents would become such violent radicals. | Schepmans said: “If you look at somebody like Abdesalam, he was part of a group of petty criminals and we had no way of knowing that these delinquents would become such violent radicals. |
| “We have a lot of young people in Molenbeek who are poorly educated, which affects their job prospects and pushes them into delinquent behaviour. They are on the streets, commit petty crimes and can be easily led. Education is the priority for us, but sport has an important role to play because it can motivate them in other areas of their lives, helps tackle delinquency and brings prestige to an individual and an area.” | “We have a lot of young people in Molenbeek who are poorly educated, which affects their job prospects and pushes them into delinquent behaviour. They are on the streets, commit petty crimes and can be easily led. Education is the priority for us, but sport has an important role to play because it can motivate them in other areas of their lives, helps tackle delinquency and brings prestige to an individual and an area.” |
| An extra 50 police officers have been drafted into Molenbeek to deal with petty crime, leading to a threefold increase for the first half of this year in arrests for minor offences. New facilities and programmes for football and other sports are also being rolled out over the coming months, with funding from the Cruyff Foundation, which was founded by former Netherlands captain Johan Cruyff to help youngsters in deprived areas. | An extra 50 police officers have been drafted into Molenbeek to deal with petty crime, leading to a threefold increase for the first half of this year in arrests for minor offences. New facilities and programmes for football and other sports are also being rolled out over the coming months, with funding from the Cruyff Foundation, which was founded by former Netherlands captain Johan Cruyff to help youngsters in deprived areas. |
| For the Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek, the prospect of financial assistance could not be better timed. It costs £130,000 a year to run the club but it only receives £30,000 in grants from the local authority. The remainder is supposed to be made up of annual player subscriptions of £300, but only half its players can afford to pay the full amount. | For the Académie Jeunesse Molenbeek, the prospect of financial assistance could not be better timed. It costs £130,000 a year to run the club but it only receives £30,000 in grants from the local authority. The remainder is supposed to be made up of annual player subscriptions of £300, but only half its players can afford to pay the full amount. |
| Officials often have to dig into their own pockets to keep the club afloat and ensure that it continues to grow. As they battle to get Molenbeek back on its feet and restore its reputation in the eyes of the world, they have vowed not to turn any boy away. | Officials often have to dig into their own pockets to keep the club afloat and ensure that it continues to grow. As they battle to get Molenbeek back on its feet and restore its reputation in the eyes of the world, they have vowed not to turn any boy away. |