EgyptEgypt designates Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization

Accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of being behind a Tuesday car-bomb attack on the police headquarters in the Niles Delta city of Mansoura, an attack which killed sixteen people and wounded more than 100, the Egyptian government on Wednesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, thus making it a state crime not only to take part in the movement’s activities and contribute money to it, but criminalizing even registering for membership in the organization.

Hossam Eissa, the minister of higher education, read out the statement after a long cabinet meeting, saying: “The cabinet has declared the Muslim Brotherhood group and its organization as a terrorist organization.”

He said the decision was in response to Tuesday’s deadly suicide bombing in Mansoura.

The Guardian reports that the Brotherhood has denied being responsible for the Mansoura attack, for which an al-Qaeda inspired group has claimed responsibility.

“Egypt was horrified from north to south by the hideous crime committed by the Muslim Brotherhood group,” Eissa said. “This was in context of dangerous escalation to violence against Egypt and Egyptians [and] a clear declaration by the Muslim Brotherhood group that it still knows nothing but violence.”

“It’s not possible for Egypt the state nor Egypt the people to submit to the Muslim Brotherhood terrorism,” he added.

Ahmed el-Borai, the minister of social solidarity, told reporters in a news conference that the decision means “all activities of the Muslim Brotherhood group are banned, including the demonstrations”.

The declaration gives the armed forces and the police the right to enter universities and prevent 

protests, as “protection to the students”, el-Borai said.

The government’s announcement marks sharp escalation of the conflict between the military-backed government and the 80-year old Islamic movement whose leader, Mohammed Morsi, was ousted from the presidency in early July.

The government designation is goes a step further than an Egyptian state court which banned the groups and its activities in September.

Ibrahim Elsayed, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political group, the Freedom and Justice party, said the government announcement would have no impact on the work or beliefs of the group, because it had seen repeated government repression and continued to exist with a moderate view of Islam.

“This decision is as if it never happened. It has no value for us and is only worth the paper it is written on,” he said. “It won’t impact us from near and far. Ideas won’t be affected by false accusations. We uphold this call only for the sake of God.”