The Muslim Brotherhood has stated that the British government’s investigation into the group’s activities has proved that the group is not associated with terrorism.
In a statement the Brotherhood said: “The lawyers representing the group have been informed that the investigation ordered by British Prime Minister David Cameron regarding the group’s activities proves that the group has no link to any acts of terrorism…
David Cameron had ordered a comprehensive investigation into the Brotherhood’s activities due to “the concern that the group raises as well as the activities of its members residing in the country”.
The Brotherhood also referred to what it considered to be media “leaks” that have recently been published regarding the report, and claimed that the source of these leaks was the Prime Minister’s office. It considered these sources to be “trying to force the concerned parties to back down from the original results of the report and distort the image of the group and its members living in the UK”.
The Brotherhood concluded their statement by saying, “The Muslim Brotherhood has completely cooperated with Sir John Jenkins’ investigation and allowed him to meet all the members of the group, even the senior officials located all over the world. Therefore, the Muslim Brotherhood maintains the right to respond to any negative allegations or claims made against the group from any other party.”
Earlier this year David Cameron ordered an investigation into whether the Muslim political group should be classified as a terrorist organisation.
The Prime Minister asked Sir John Jenkins, the UK’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, to carry out the inquiry after coming under pressure from Gulf states including Egypt and Saudi Arabia to ban the group.
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The senior diplomat was tasked to look at whether the Muslim Brotherhood was plotting attacks in the Middle East from Britain.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which dates back to 1928, was once Egypt’s oldest, best organised and most successful political movement.
Its leader Mohammed Morsi was elected president of Egypt during the Arab Spring but was then deposed and jailed last year in an army-led coup following weeks of protests.
In March, 529 Brotherhood members were sentenced to death by a court in Cairo, as part of a violent crackdown on the group. The group was blamed for attacks including the murder of three tourists in Sinai in February.
Following the coup some Brotherhood leaders are reported to have fled to London.
In a recent statement the Muslim Brotherhood pledged that Egyptians would “continue their revolutionary movement until they achieve freedom. The Egyptian people will renew their Revolution in all cities, towns and villages of Egypt on the anniversary of Rabaa and Nahda massacres, until they reach their goal.”
Individuals and groups affiliated or sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK include Azzam Tamimi, Anas Altikriti, Al Hiwar TV station, The Cordoba Foundation, Middle East Monitor, the Muslim Association of Britain and the British Muslim Initiative.
