Minister of Higher Education Hossam Eissa said in a Tuesday press conference that the government has declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group.
The move by the Egyptian political establishment to declare the Brotherhood a terrorist organization further marginalizes the only other organized political group powerful enough to oppose their rule.
Despite the group Ansar Beyt al-Maqdes, a group that is not affiliated to the Brotherhood, claiming responsibility to the recent Mansoura bombing, the government has decided to place blame squarely on the Brotherhood. The government has also failed to produce any evidence linking the Brotherhood to the attack.
“The whole of Egypt was shaken by the heinous crime committed by the Muslim Brotherhood, killing 16 of the police force and others,” he said, adding that the group has throughout its history committed several crimes such as the assassination of Khazendar Pasha, the Rabaa al-Adaweya violence, the attempted assassination of President Nasser, the assassination of President Sadat and the burning of churches.
In a sweeping move, Eissa added that the sanctions mentioned in the penal code will be applied to anyone who is a member of the group or who finances it. “We will notify the Arab countries who acceding to the Convention Against Terrorism,” he said.
“The referendum on the constitution establishes a new state and represents the first stage of the roadmap that the Egyptian people insist on,” he said, asserting that Egypt will not surrender to the terrorism of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Minister of Social Solidarity Ahmed al-Borai said that the police and army are assigned to protect public facilities, students and society from the dangers of the group.
