Sources close to the Muslim Brotherhood's guidance bureau said tensions between the Brotherhood and Salafi groups are continuing to rise.
The sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they witnessed a serious dispute Wednesday morning amid Brotherhood officials over whether to attempt reconciliation with the Salifi Dawah movement and the Nour Party.
The majority were in favor of seeking reconciliation immediately with both in order to present a united from before parliamentary elections.
However, dissenters made their voices heard and pushed for the strengthening of ties with other Islamist groups instead.
The relationship between the Brotherhood and Nour Party has soured recently aftert the president's office dismissed Khaled Alam Eddin, the presidential advisor for environmental affairs, for allegedly abusing his position for personal gain.
However, Alam Eddin struck back in a press conference this week and said he was dismissed due to his criticism of the president and his refusal to be a puppet.
In an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm, Mahdi Akef, the Brotherhood's former supreme guide, said the relationship between Salafis and his organization must triumph over any dispute.
Brotherhood Secretary General Mahmoud Hussein and media spokesperson Yasser Mehrez refused to comment on the matter.
Despite the conflict within the Brotherhoud, the sources still expect reconciliation meetings with Salafi groups to be held within days.
Brotherhood spokesperson Ahmad Aref told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the group is reaching out to the Nour Party to resolve the crisis and is “eager not to cut contact with it. The fact that some statements attacked the president or group doesn’t mean losing our relationship.”
However, Aref described recent statements by Nour Party members criticizing the Brotherhood as “irresponsible.”
He also denied accusations made by Salafi figures that the Brotherhood is unduly influencing the president, adding, “These accusations will continue for the next three years until the people understand the meaning of democracy.”
Nour Party head Younes Makhion said Wednesday that the issue of Alam Eddin's dismissal is between his party and the president's office and not the Freedom and Justice Party.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
