Fear of Radicalism: UK to Probe Brotherhood

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an investigation into activities of Muslim Brotherhood over apprehensions that the group is planning radical activities in Britain, Downing Street revealed on Tuesday.

Number 10 confirmed a report in the Times newspaper that said Cameron had asked the intelligence agencies to review the “philosophy and activities” of the Brotherhood and the government’s policy towards the organization. The review is being led by Britain’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Jenkins.

Reports say that the government’s move was in response to the meeting of the Muslim Brotherhood members in London last year to decide their response to the Egypt crisis. The government ordered a strict crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood after the toppling of President Morsi. The democratically elected president was ousted in a military coup after widespread street protests. The Egyptian government had declared Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group after an attack on a police station last December killed sixteen people. A court ruling came last Monday pronouncing death sentences to 529 suspected backers of Morsi over a deadly attack on a police station.

With the presidential elections set on 26-27 May, army chief Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who overthrew Morsi, is likely to win the presidency given his popularity and the lack of any serious rivals. Authorities express concern over the fairness of the poll as well as the future government of Egypt as Muslim Brotherhood, the winner of the last five elections, has been violently suppressed.

Infoeditor