Egypt’s MB undeterred by ‘terrorist’ naming

A Muslim Brotherhood leader vowed that the movement will continue protesting despite being declared as a “terrorist” organization by Egypt’s military-installed interim government on Wednesday.

“The protests will continue, certainly,” Ibrahim Munir, a member of the group’s executive council living in exile in London, told the Agence France-Presse.

He added that the government’s move was “illegitimate.”

“This is an attempt to frame the Brotherhood,” said Munir about the decision.

The government’s announcement came after a suicide bombing targeted a police headquarters killing 15 people and wounding over a 100 in the city of Mansoura on Tuesday.

“The Cabinet has declared the Muslim Brotherhood group and its organization as a terrorist organization,” Hossam Eissa, deputy prime minister and minister of Higher Education, read from the government’s declaration on Wednesday.

An al-Qaeda-inspired group called Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (‘The Champions of Jerusalem’) claimed to be behind the attack, while the Brotherhood denied being responsible for it, reported The Associated Press.

Security forces already have cranked up the pressure on the Brotherhood since July, following a military-backed toppling of Brotherhood-backed former President Mohammed Mursi.

Thousands of the Muslim Brotherhood members have been arrested since, including its top leadership. Crack down on protests often have turned violent, leaving hundreds killed.

Last week, prosecutors put Mursi and other top Brotherhood leaders to trial on charges of conspiring with Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Iran and other militant groups and orchestrating the Sinai insurgency to avenge his ouster. Mursi supporters and rights groups have called the accusations implausible.

(with AFP)