CAIRO,
July 21 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Egyptian security forces
have arrested 34 alleged members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood
during a secret meeting north of Cairo, the latest step in a crackdown
on the movement, security sources said Sunday, July 21.
The
Agence France-Presse (AFP) said the 34, who were meeting at the house
of an alleged leader of the Muslim Brotherhood 70 kilometers (42
miles) north of Cairo, were charged with trying to revive a banned
organization, they said.
Five
of those arrested, two university professors, a lawyer, a businessman
and a hospital manager, were considered leaders of the Muslim
Brotherhood, while the remainder were university students, security
sources said.
Under
emergency laws in force since president Anwar al-Sadat was
assassinated by Islamic militants in 1981, the 34 are being detained
for 15 days without formal charges, security sources said.
Security
sources identified the leaders as engineering professor Sharif Abu
al-Majd and education professor Mohammed Haidar, both of Helwan South
University, as well as lawyer Osama al-Helou, businessman Osama
al-Fattah, and Wael Tulb, manager at al-Hadi Hospital in Helwan, AFP
reported.
Security
sources said earlier that 31 people had been arrested but then revised
the figure to 34 arrested.
Last
week, Egyptian security forces arrested 28 alleged members of the
Muslim Brotherhood, led by Mustafa Mashhour, on charges of planning a
political demonstration at Cairo's al-Azhar mosque.
The
emergency law prevents most forms of public demonstration.
Scores
of suspected Muslim Brotherhood members were also arrested in
connection with scuffles that erupted in June 27 parliamentary
by-elections in Alexandria, in which two seats contested were won by
the ruling National Democratic Party amid accusations of fraud and
police interference.
The
Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest Islamic group in Egypt, calls for the
establishment of an Islamic state but rejects the use of violence.
Some
of its activities are tolerated and 17 "independent"
candidates backed by the Muslim Brotherhood won seats in Egypt's
454-member parliament in 2000.
