Fourteen members of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood have been arrested over the past couple of days and detained for 15 days in the northern city of Alexandria, police said Tuesday.
The Islamists are accused of "inciting trouble and spreading rumors to disrupt social order and threaten social stability," they said. In addition, they are accused of "resisting authorities and hindering the electoral process," during a parliamentary by-election in Alexandria in late June, AFP said.
Over 100 of its members were arrested in riots during the elections. The Muslim Brotherhood is the oldest Islamist group in Egypt and 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. However, their support on the streets is much higher.
Just last Tuesday, 16 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were sentenced by a military court to between three and five years in jail for trying to revive the movement in order to seize power. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
