In Egypt’s most detailed allegations so far against the Muslim brotherhood on militant attacks, the party of the ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, is being accused of forming a “military wing” to attack security forces. The allegations were made by the Interior ministry. The accusations if true would confirm suspicion of Brotherhood members joining a growing militant campaign. The military is alleged to be organized by the leader of the party.
The ministry claimed that the cell had shot five policemen in an attack on a checkpoint last month in the province of Beni Suef. So far five suspects have been arrested; identified among them was the son of a Muslim Brotherhood leader who confessed his involvement in last month’s checkpoint attack on television.
After army Chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi toppled Islamist President Morsi in July, policemen and soldiers have been killed in shootings. An Al-Qaeda-inspired group, based in the north of the Sinai Peninsula, has proved to be one of most violent groups in Egypt. Since then Egyptian authorities have taken strong actions against the group, more than 1400 people have been killed in street clashes and thousands have been imprisoned.
Despite its claims in rejecting violence and supporting peaceful protests, the Muslim Brotherhood has been labeled as a “terrorist organization” by the government especially after the suicide car bombing of a police headquarters that left 15 people dead without any proof of the Brotherhood’s involvement.
Always insisting on peaceful means, the Brotherhood accuses Sisi of undermining democracy by staging a coup and opined that younger rogue members could be prompted to take up arms. Accusations have also been made against the army-backed government by human rights groups of “widespread human rights abuses and stifling dissent”.