Egypt arrests hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members
Over 700 members of party detained ahead of legislative elections, AFP reports. "Regime is trying to terrorize its citizens," party official says.
By JPOST.COM STAFFmuslim brotherhood 311(photo credit: AP)
At least 100 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested in Egypt on Friday, just days before the country's legislative elections, a security official and organization members said, according to AFP.Mohammed Mursi, a senior official in the Brotherhood, said the number of people arrested was approximately 300, among them some 130 members in Alexandria.RELATED:The Region: The declaration of war that went unnoticedCairo worries as IAEA probes enriched uranium findMursi said the arrests came during clashes that were sparked when security forces tried to break up a gathering of people supporting Brotherhood candidates running in the November 28 election."The regime is trying to terrorize citizens to make them stay away from the polling stations," Mursi said, adding that several supporters were injured in the confrontation, with two hurt seriously and one taken to the hospital, he said.Earlier this week, approximately 600 members of the Brotherhood were arrested, AFP reported.Mursi stated that the arrests began after the Brotherhood announced on Oct. 9 its intention to submit candidates for the legislative elections."Arrests are still being made. Someone goes out to campaign, he gets harassed and arrested and then released in a few days," Mursi told AFP.The organization registers its candidates as independents to circumvent a ban on religious parties and won a fifth of the parliament's seats in the 2005 election.The Islamist party intends to present 135 candidates on this month's election ballot.
The ruling National Democratic Party has announced it is running 800 candidates for the 508 seats available. By way of comparison, the liberal Wafd opposition party has 250 candidates running.
