A Lebanese news portal has reported that the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, known as Jamaa Islamiya, has launched its parliamentary elections campaign. According to the report:
The Jamaa Islamiya, Lebanon’s chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood, on Monday launched its parliamentary elections campaign, nominating six candidates to confront “corruption and the Zionist enemy.” It called for “marshalling all resources in a defense strategy that safeguards Lebanon’s independence and dignity.” Deputy Secretary General Ibrahim al-Masri also called for the “integration of powers and resources of the army and the resistance.” The group’s six candidates are running for parliamentary seats in the constituencies of Beirut, Tripoli, Dinniyeh-Minyeh, Akkar, Sidon and the western sector of the Bekaa Valley. Masri said an “understanding” has been reached with Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri that the two factions would be allies in the forthcoming elections scheduled for June 7. However, he said, details of the alliance have to be worked out.
A previous post reported that the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood, known as al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya (the Islamic Association), was founded and led by Faisal Mawlawi, an important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood and a close associate of global Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi. As that posted noted, in August 2005 Mideast news sources reported that “combatants” from the Islamic Group were fighting alongside Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon and that the group’s support of Hezbollah dated back to the 1980’s.” Another post discussed an agreement signed in August between Lebanese “salafists” and Hizbollah, confirming the role of Mawlawi as head of the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood.
Recent posts have also detailed plans by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), a part of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood with an office in Lebanon, to construct a new university in Lebanon.