Ibrahim Mounir, secretary of the Muslim Brotherhood’s international wing, said “investigations by England over the Brotherhood will not convict the group.”
In a phone call with the London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat on Monday, Mounir said he was surprised by the British declaration over the urgent inquiry.
“British authorities have the right to be cautious to preserve its national security, however, we are sure it will not reach anything that condemns the Brotherhood,” he added.
Mounir denied that British authorities or its intelligence had summoned any of the group leaders for interrogations. He also denied that any of the group leaders had left England to any country. “We have been living for years in a country that has laws and human rights, even those who do not hold its citizenship. Thus, we don’t have intentions to leave the country, in which we enjoy freedom.”
“Any country in the world has the right to inquire about those who live in it. The British know in advance that the Brotherhood respects rules and laws of countries where we live,” he added.
“We are a group that condemns violence. We do not support actions that could harm national security of the country,” he said adding “investigations will not bring anything new more than what the British government and its interior ministry already know.”
Mounir added that he doesn’t know the number of Brotherhood members in England or the West. “There are brothers from all Arab and Islamic countries. There are brothers among the British people.”
Regarding possibility of tagging the group as a terrorist organization in England, Mounir said, “It’s a democratic country. Such decision will not be based on nothing. It will not be taken without conviction against the group, which will not happen.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron earlier ordered review of the Muslim Brotherhood's activities in Britain about possible links to violence.
