LONDON
The Muslim Brotherhood has responded to the U.K. government’s decision to initiate a review into the organisation by saying that they will challenge “any improper attempt to restrict its activity,” through the British courts, the organisation said in a statement.
The Muslim Brotherhood expressed concern over Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, John Jenkins leading the review, “It is hard to see how Sir John Jenkins will be able to conduct an independent internal review of the Muslim Brotherhood and carry his brief as Ambassador to a non-democratic regime that is openly in political opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood,”
There have also been concerns from others about the wider ramifications of this review.
Carool Kersten, Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam & the Muslim World at King's College London said, “I am surprised by this rather sudden decision to commence what is still called an 'inquiry' rather than an 'investigation'.
“The Muslim Brotherhood has existed for more than 80 years, it was established when Britain was administering Egypt as a protectorate, it was at its most active during the 1950s when Britain still had extensive interests in the country until the nationalisation of the Suez Canal in 1956. Also, Muslim Brotherhood activists have been present in London for decades, alongside other Islamist politicians such as Tunisia's Rached al-Ghannoushi who lived here for more than 25 years,” he added.
He also said that he found it “puzzling” that the prime minister wants to now know about the MB’s links to extremism and violent extremism since the MB has been in the country for so many years.
Kersten said, “I wonder what this inquiry will add to what is already known about the Muslim Brotherhood from existing scholarship, political analysis, and the media. Perhaps more importantly in view of the apparent underlying security concerns, what can a diplomat on secondment uncover what MI5 and MI6 cannot?”
There has been considerable concern over the motivation of the U.K. government’s decision to initiate a review, Kersten said, “Given the commercial interests of the U.K. in Saudi Arabia, and considering that it is highly likely that former Field Marshall al-Sisi will be next president and probably the country's leader for years to come, it appears that Downing Street wants to signal Cairo and Riyadh that it values its relationship with those currently in power there.”
He is not the only one to make links to Riyadh and Cairo, Shazia Arshad from the Middle East Monitor said, “Although there are claims that this inquiry is to look at extremism, it seems unlikely that this is the main reason behind the inquiry. There are undoubtedly a number of other factors, pressure from the Gulf, pressure from Egypt amongst them.”
Six weeks ago British defence firm BAE agreed a deal on the price of 72 Euro fighters it is selling to Saudi Arabia and it is only three weeks since Saudi Arabia declared the Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation. Egypt declared the organisation a terrorist organisation on Christmas day last year.
Ismail Patel from the U.K. organisation, Friends of Al-Aqsa, said he had doubts over the impartiality of the review. “We have Sir John Jenkins, the British ambassador to Saudi Arabia who has been asked to draw up a report on the Muslim Brotherhood. Sir Jenkins last month labelled the Brotherhood a “terrorist organisation”. Sir Jenkins is not impartial individual."
A second individual is Sir John Sawers, the current chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), who served as U.K. ambassador to Egypt between 2001-03 and who previously had links with the regime of the former President Hosni Mubarak. Patel also expressed concerns over the impact the review would have on the wider Muslim community. “British Muslims overall have been viewed with suspicion over the years and this review will now increase alienating many young Muslims.”
“Even if Britain does not ban the Muslim Brotherhood, Britain has sent out a signal to the world we don’t trust the Muslims,” he added.
David Cameron has asked that the review be completed before the parliament summer recess.
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