This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/world/middleeast/bowing-to-pressure-qatar-asks-some-muslim-brotherhood-leaders-to-leave.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Bowing to Pressure, Qatar Asks Some Muslim Brotherhood Leaders to Leave Muslim Brotherhood Leader Says Qatar Asked Some Members to Leave
(34 minutes later)
BAGHDAD — Qatar has asked several Egyptian leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood to leave the country, its first concession to a campaign by other Persian Gulf monarchies to pressure Doha away from its support for the group. BAGHDAD — An Egyptian leader of the Muslim Brotherhood said Saturday that Qatar has asked several of the group’s prominent members to leave the country, in an apparent concession to a campaign by other Persian Gulf monarchies to pressure Doha away from its support for the group.
“Some symbols of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political wing — the Freedom and Justice Party — who were asked by authorities to move their residence outside the state of Qatar have now honored that request,” Amr Darrag, a senior Brotherhood leader, said in a statement posted on the group’s website.“Some symbols of the Muslim Brotherhood and its political wing — the Freedom and Justice Party — who were asked by authorities to move their residence outside the state of Qatar have now honored that request,” Amr Darrag, a senior Brotherhood leader, said in a statement posted on the group’s website.
The departures are the first sign that Qatar is bending under fierce pressure from its neighbors, mainly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which view Brotherhood-style political Islam as a domestic threat to their own governments. Both countries backed the Egyptian military’s ouster last year of President Mohamed Morsi of the Brotherhood, and they have spearheaded a regional campaign to diminish or stamp out the Islamist movement. A Qatari diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, contradicted Mr. Darrag. The diplomat said that the Brotherhood leaders had decided to depart for their own reasons without any request from Qatar, and that they were welcome to return.
“Maybe for some of them, they saw from the media that the country is being pressed and they left of their own free will because they did not want to put the country in an embarrassing situation,” the diplomat said.
Still, the departures are the first hint that Qatar and its Islamist allies are bending under fierce pressure from its neighbors, mainly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which view Brotherhood-style political Islam as a domestic threat to their own governments. Both countries backed the Egyptian military’s ouster last year of President Mohamed Morsi of the Brotherhood, and they have spearheaded a regional campaign to diminish or stamp out the Islamist movement.
Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Egypt have all pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, and last month a high-level delegation of top Saudi officials visited Qatar to press it again over the issue.Saudi Arabia, the Emirates and Egypt have all pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, and last month a high-level delegation of top Saudi officials visited Qatar to press it again over the issue.
Although the Brotherhood’s views are not nearly as conservative as the puritanical, authoritarian version of Islamic law enforced in Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and other Gulf monarchs fear the group because of its broad organization, its mainstream appeal and its calls for elections. As part of the campaign against Qatar, Saudi and Emirati diplomats have sought to blame Doha for tacitly condoning fund-raising by more militant, Qaeda-linked groups operating in Syria, although Qatar is hardly the only Persian Gulf state to do so. Although the Brotherhood’s views are not nearly as conservative as the puritanical, authoritarian version of Islamic law enforced in Saudi Arabia, the Saudis and other Gulf monarchs fear the group because of its broad organization, its mainstream appeal and its calls for elections. As part of the campaign against Qatar, Saudi and Emirati diplomats have sought to blame Doha for tacitly allowing fund-raising by more militant, Qaeda-linked groups operating in Syria, although Qatar is hardly the only Persian Gulf state to do so.
Until now, however, there was little sign that Qatar was backing away from its bet on the staying power of Brotherhood-style political Islam around the region, partly as a counterbalance to the influence of Saudi Arabia. There has been little sign, however, that Qatar was backing away from its bet on the staying power of Brotherhood-style political Islam around the region, partly as a counterbalance to the influence of Saudi Arabia.
Qatar’s pan-Arab news network, Al Jazeera, remains sympathetic to the Brotherhood across the region. Doha has provided refuge for many Egyptian Brotherhood leaders fleeing the bloody crackdown against them that has been imposed since the military takeover in Cairo. And Qatar continues to provide a base of operations for Islamists close to the Brotherhood, including the influential Egyptian preacher Yusef al-Qaradawi, a bête noire of the other Arab monarchs.Qatar’s pan-Arab news network, Al Jazeera, remains sympathetic to the Brotherhood across the region. Doha has provided refuge for many Egyptian Brotherhood leaders fleeing the bloody crackdown against them that has been imposed since the military takeover in Cairo. And Qatar continues to provide a base of operations for Islamists close to the Brotherhood, including the influential Egyptian preacher Yusef al-Qaradawi, a bête noire of the other Arab monarchs.
The tension between the Gulf states has grown so intense that it has spilled into a proxy war in Libya, where Qatar and the Emirates have backed rival factions of clashing militias. Last month, the Emirates conducted airstrikes launched from Egypt against Qatar-backed militias in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.The tension between the Gulf states has grown so intense that it has spilled into a proxy war in Libya, where Qatar and the Emirates have backed rival factions of clashing militias. Last month, the Emirates conducted airstrikes launched from Egypt against Qatar-backed militias in Tripoli, the Libyan capital.
In his statement, Mr. Darrag, the Brotherhood leader, indicated that only a limited number of his colleagues were leaving Doha. Qatar has been “a very welcoming and supportive host,” but the Brotherhood leaders are leaving “in order to avoid causing any embarrassment for the state of Qatar,” he wrote, adding, “We appreciate the great role of the state of Qatar in supporting the Egyptian people in their revolution against the military junta, and well understand the circumstances faced by the region.”In his statement, Mr. Darrag, the Brotherhood leader, indicated that only a limited number of his colleagues were leaving Doha. Qatar has been “a very welcoming and supportive host,” but the Brotherhood leaders are leaving “in order to avoid causing any embarrassment for the state of Qatar,” he wrote, adding, “We appreciate the great role of the state of Qatar in supporting the Egyptian people in their revolution against the military junta, and well understand the circumstances faced by the region.”
In a separate statement, Wagdy Ghoneim, a Muslim cleric who supports the Brotherhood, said he, too, was leaving Qatar, though he insisted he was doing so of his own volition.In a separate statement, Wagdy Ghoneim, a Muslim cleric who supports the Brotherhood, said he, too, was leaving Qatar, though he insisted he was doing so of his own volition.
“Thanks to Allah, I have decided to move from dear Qatar, without any pressure or difficulties or problems,” Mr. Ghoneim said in a video on his Facebook page, Reuters reported.“Thanks to Allah, I have decided to move from dear Qatar, without any pressure or difficulties or problems,” Mr. Ghoneim said in a video on his Facebook page, Reuters reported.
Representatives of Qatar were not immediately available for comment. It was unclear how many leaders had left, nor was it known whether the departures signaled a broader shift in policy. It was unclear how many Brotherhood leaders were leaving. Besides Doha, Istanbul and London remain hubs for Egyptian Islamists in exile where they might seek to relocate.
Besides Doha, Istanbul and London remain hubs for Egyptian Islamists in exile where Brotherhood leaders might seek to relocate.