Egypt Court Frees
Brotherhood Leaders
An
Egyptian court has ordered the release of sixteen senior members
of the banned Muslim Brotherhood who are accused of forming
terrorist cells.
Police had arrested Brotherhood deputy chief Mahmud Ezzat and
fifteen senior members in February on charges of forming secret
terrorist groups and plotting to overthrow the government.
The Islamic group said on its website that the order by the
Cairo criminal court came on Sunday.
A son of detained Politburo member, Essam Erian, said that he
was expecting his father to be freed once bail was posted.
The Brotherhood, which says it wants an Islamic state achieved
peacefully, is the country's largest opposition movement and
gets around the ban on religious parties by running independent
candidates in parliamentary elections.
It has denied all charges against those arrested.
The Islamist group controls a fifth of parliament, but is
expected to field fewer candidates in elections later this year
because of a police crackdown.
AFP/Williams
