Ibrahim Mounir, the Muslim Brotherhood’s international organization secretary who is currently living in England, will return to Egypt and oversee the ongoing development of the group, said Brotherhood sources on Monday.
According to the sources, Mounir was given this responsibility by Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat al-Shater, who chose Mounir based on his past experiences and expertise in the field.
Mounir will face challenges including overcoming the Brotherhood’s tarnished image abroad, helping the group make the transition from operating clandestinely to publicly, modify its internal regulations, develop a new membership system and improve administrative offices at the provincial level.
Mounir has been living in London since the British government granted him political asylum over 20 years ago, after he said he had received death threats from Egyptian security forces.
In January 2011, the Supreme State Security Criminal Court sentenced Mounir in absentia to eight years in prison on charges of money laundering and belonging to an international organization that is opposed to the state.
In a telephone conversation with Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mounir said that he would come back to Cairo after Ramadan, and that his lawyer would appeal the sentence that was issued against him.
Since the 25 January revolution, the Muslim Brotherhood has sought to update its image and modernize its infrastructure, an effort that has been spearheaded by Shater since his release from prison in March 2011.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
