Egypt: Top MB arrested
Issandr El AmraniIt's become almost routine to see Muslim Brothers being arrested in the last few years, especially in the Delta, but the recent arrest of some of the group's most prominent members is rather curious:
State Security Services launched a wide crackdown today at dawn against three Muslim Brotherhood high-ranking figures in Cairo. Among those arrested are Dr. Abdel-Moneim Abu el-Fotouh, Member of the Executive Bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Secretary-General of the Arab Doctors’ Federation, Judge Fathi Lashin, former legal adviser to the Ministry of Justice and Expert on Islamic Financial Transactions and Dr. Jamal Abdul Salam, Head of the Emergency Relief Committee of the Arab Doctors’ Federation and the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate in the 2005 elections.
Aboul Fotouh in particular is one of the MB's most popular figures, respected well beyond their ranks for his intellectual calibre and moderation. Considering all of these people were involved in the fundraising drive and aid effort to Gaza, and the Egyptian government has just reopened the border, one wonders whether there's any connection. Especially at this time when there are so many rumors about Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas, being moved to Egypt in advance of a prisoner exchange deal and ongoing Israel-Hamas as well as Fatah-Hamas negotiations.
Update: I should add that several companies close to those arrested and other prominents MBs have been shut down, dealing a further financial blow to the group. This morning (29 June 2009) newspapers like al-Dustour are accusing the MB of a weak reaction, perhaps channeling some Islamists' belief that they have been too supine in their reaction to the last few years of crackdowns.
Reader Comments (3)
[...] Arabist adds that, in concert with the arrests, several companies close to the arrested persons and other Brotherhood leaders have been shut down [...]
The connection to Gilad Shalit is interesting, but what's the causal connection between the two events? This looks more like part of the pattern of the government's behavior over the past 30 years.
In 1995, the government also arrested many "moderates" within the MB and the organization became somewhat more radical between 1995 and 2000. The government did this in response to MB electoral gains over the previous 10 years.
We have just witnessed repressive government measures during provincial elections earlier this year. We also know that the government is preparing for some kind of transfer of power as Mubarak is anticipated to step down. Transitions require some kind of guarantees that society will not destabilize during the inherently unstable process of transferring power. Repressive measures during the elections and arresting a top moderate like Fotouh - a bold move even by Egyptian standards - indicates that the government is attempting to polarize the opposition and therefore strengthen its own vis-a-vis popular support.
In light of recent gains by the MB at the Parliamentary level, delegitimizing the MB at the provincial level, undermining its grassroots financial network, and arresting top leaders who have the most potential to stitch together opposition coalitions is the smart move by the government to maintain control.
As such, it would be unwise for the MB to react strongly to this. It must demonstrate to the government and a wary population that its organization, ideology, and political direction will remain intact irrespective of particular leaders. It's that kind of stability that engenders the political trust necessary to build a broader political base of support.
I think you're right - this may have to do with continually keeping the MB off-balance, perhaps because of transition coming.