The Investigative Project has posted a report titled “Rally Organizers Deny Ties with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood” that looks at the Muslim Brotherhood ties of the organizers of a rally in support of deposed Egytpian President Morsi. The report begins:
by Abha Shankar IPT News August 9, 2013 Organizers of a rally planned for Washington, D.C. on Saturday in support of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi deny being part of the Muslim Brotherhood, or being Brotherhood supporters. The rally, they said during a news conference Friday, is about justice in Egypt.
A long record, in many cases tested in court, says otherwise.
The recently-formed Egyptian Americans for Democracy and Human Rights (EADHR) news conference featured Abdul Mawgoud Dardery, a spokesman for the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party.
Dardery and other speakers decried the ‘military coup’ in Egypt and called for Morsi’s release after more than a month in custody.
‘This is not about the Muslim Brotherhood. It is not even about Dr. Morsi, said Shaker Elsayed said in response to an Investigative Project on Terrorism question about Muslim Brotherhood connections.. Dr. Morsi happened to be from the Brotherhood, but it could have been anybody else. If we allow the rule of law to be broken and the democratic rules to be violated, it will happen to anybody and Egypt will never have stability, progress, investment, or a future. So we have nothing to do with your claims.’
Elsayed identified himself as part of the Universal Justice Foundation, which he said has ‘nothing to do with the Muslim Brotherhood or anybody else.’
According to someone staffing the reception desk at the news conference, the rally does stand for something more. As the Investigative Project on Terrorism’s researcher approached, she was asked if she was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. ‘This is a Muslim Brotherhood meeting,’ she was told. (Click below to hear the statement)
Inside, an official with the Muslim American Society (MAS), which is helping organize Saturday’s rally, echoed Elsayed’s denial about any Muslim Brotherhood connection.
‘The Muslim American Society is a grass-roots American organization, said Oussama Jamal, chairman of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement for the Muslim American Society (MAS-PACE). ‘However, we are very proud, very, very proud of our friendship with the Muslim Brotherhood, the Christian Brotherhood, and the Jewish Voice for Justice and for Peace. There is nothing wrong to have a relationship, a friendly relationship, with other organizations across the world.’
But the role Muslim Brotherhood members played in creating MAS is well established. It was founded in 1993 in Alexandria, Va., as the United States chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood. And Elsayed is a former MAS secretary general.
In fact, a 2004 Chicago Tribune report on the Brotherhood’s secret movement in the United States quotes Elsayed saying, ‘Ikhwan [Brotherhood] members founded MAS…’ Elsayed even acknowledged that about 45 percent of MAS’s active members belong to the Brotherhood.”
Read the rest here.
For a comprehensive report on the history and Muslim Brotherhood ties of the Muslim American Society (MAS), go here. (disclosure: report authored bf GMBDW Editor)