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Egypt detains Brotherhood leaders | Egypt detains Brotherhood leaders |
(about 21 hours later) | |
Thirteen senior members of the Islamist opposition movement in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, have been detained. | Thirteen senior members of the Islamist opposition movement in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, have been detained. |
They include its deputy leader, Mahmoud Ezzat, the organisation says. | They include its deputy leader, Mahmoud Ezzat, the organisation says. |
The Brotherhood is officially outlawed in Egypt but its members have many seats in parliament, sitting as independents. | The Brotherhood is officially outlawed in Egypt but its members have many seats in parliament, sitting as independents. |
A spokesman for the group said the arrests were an attempt by the authorities to thwart its preparations for elections later in the year. | A spokesman for the group said the arrests were an attempt by the authorities to thwart its preparations for elections later in the year. |
Supporters are routinely arrested. | Supporters are routinely arrested. |
Charity work | Charity work |
The Brotherhood has been banned from open political activity since 1954, and leading activists are frequently arrested and imprisoned by the authorities. | The Brotherhood has been banned from open political activity since 1954, and leading activists are frequently arrested and imprisoned by the authorities. |
Despite this, Brotherhood members standing as independent candidates won 20% of the seats in the last parliamentary election in 2005, its best ever result. | Despite this, Brotherhood members standing as independent candidates won 20% of the seats in the last parliamentary election in 2005, its best ever result. |
In January, the movement named Mohammed Badie, a 66-year-old veterinary professor, as its new leader. | |
He has said that the Muslim Brotherhood was not an adversary of the Egyptian government and that he would try to avoid confrontation with it. | He has said that the Muslim Brotherhood was not an adversary of the Egyptian government and that he would try to avoid confrontation with it. |
The Muslim Brotherhood has influenced Islamist movements around the world with its model of political activism combined with charity work. | The Muslim Brotherhood has influenced Islamist movements around the world with its model of political activism combined with charity work. |