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| The Muslim Brotherhood's new nerve centre: Cricklewood? | The Muslim Brotherhood's new nerve centre: Cricklewood? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| For a supposed UK base of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world's most powerful political organisations, two floors of offices above a disused kebab shop on Cricklewood Broadway seem an unlikely choice. | For a supposed UK base of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the Arab world's most powerful political organisations, two floors of offices above a disused kebab shop on Cricklewood Broadway seem an unlikely choice. |
| But questions about what is happening behind the net curtains of the red-brick premises, sandwiched between a TV repair shop and a hair salon in suburban north-west London, were sparked on Tuesday morning by reports of fears in the British establishment that the Egyptian Islamist body may be planning extremist activities from Britain. | |
| The Muslim Brotherhood has been deposed from power in Egypt and outlawed in Egypt and in Saudi Arabia. Its most high-profile senior member, the former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, is on trial in Cairo after last year's military coup. | The Muslim Brotherhood has been deposed from power in Egypt and outlawed in Egypt and in Saudi Arabia. Its most high-profile senior member, the former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi, is on trial in Cairo after last year's military coup. |
| Here, it has been claimed, on a busy shopping parade lined with Irish pubs, Afghan restaurants and African grocers, exiled members of the organisation have gathered to regroup and fight back. | Here, it has been claimed, on a busy shopping parade lined with Irish pubs, Afghan restaurants and African grocers, exiled members of the organisation have gathered to regroup and fight back. |
| Whatever the operation is, it is certainly anonymous. The insignia of the Flame House takeaway has been removed; the only remaining sign is a faded one for World Media Services, a limited company. A buzz on the intercom reveals little. | Whatever the operation is, it is certainly anonymous. The insignia of the Flame House takeaway has been removed; the only remaining sign is a faded one for World Media Services, a limited company. A buzz on the intercom reveals little. |
| "Yes we've seen the claims," said an unidentified male voice. "We can't speak right now. Maybe later." | "Yes we've seen the claims," said an unidentified male voice. "We can't speak right now. Maybe later." |
| Next door, the TV shop owner said he saw people come and go, but little else. "There's probably about six of them, mainly men," the proprietor said. "We haven't seen anything unusual happening along here. I don't know who they support." | |
| The postman said he had never delivered anything addressed to the "Muslim Brotherhood". | The postman said he had never delivered anything addressed to the "Muslim Brotherhood". |
| Then, as the morning wore on, men started to arrive, one by one. Mohamed Ghamen, a 67-year old British citizen who came to the UK from Egypt, introduced himself as a director of World Media Services, which he said was a not-for-profit limited company producing printed materials. Records at Companies House show the operation was established 21 years ago and is a non-trading concern. | |
| Of the five people working in the offices, "all are affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood through thinking and ideas, but we are not part of the organisation", Ghamen said. "It is important to make the distinction. This is silly. Somebody has assumed this is to do with the Muslim Brotherhood. This is a limited company. There is nothing wrong with the Muslim Brotherhood. And if there was some link, we would say." | |
| Ghamen said claims the Brotherhood was planning extremist activities from Britain were "rubbish". "The Muslim Brotherhood announced everywhere they are not using force or violence," he said. "They are people who have a particular understanding of Islam, which is far away from violence. They are not violent and they are not militant." | |
| Another man, who did not give his name but said he was an employee of World Media Services, said: "This is not just Muslim Brotherhood: this is a company. We are a media services company producing articles in Arabic and English. They also publish here a newsletter online, ikhwanpress.org." | Another man, who did not give his name but said he was an employee of World Media Services, said: "This is not just Muslim Brotherhood: this is a company. We are a media services company producing articles in Arabic and English. They also publish here a newsletter online, ikhwanpress.org." |
| Ikhwanpress is an Arabic-language website that contains numerous statements issued by Muslim Brotherhood officials. It is led by a picture and statement from Mohammed Badie, known as the supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood. One article, entitled "military judiciary and genocide", is about the sentencing to death of 529 Muslim Brotherhood activists in Egypt last week. | |
| This is not the first time the modest premises have attracted attention. In January, far-right activists from Britain First protested on the pavement opposite the World Media Services office under the banner "Muslim Brotherhood Not Welcome!" | |
| A flyer for the event, which was opposed by a large group of anti-racism campaigners, said it was a demonstration against "sharia, jihad, genocide, terrorism". Local shopkeepers recall a confrontation between about 20 far-right activists on one side of the street and about 50 anti-racism campaigners. | |