Security forces yesterday arrested Abd Almeneim Abulfotouh, a member of the Office of the guidance of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), who held the position of Secretary-General of the Federation of Arab doctors. Forces also arrested Dr. Jamal Abdul Salam, the leading group member and director of the Emergency Relief Committee in the Union, and Abdulrahman Al-Jamal, a leader of the group in Algharbiya. In what was described as a new security hit for the financial arm of the MB, authorities closed the company 'Insights for Research and Studies' belonging to the group, and arrested Fathi Lashin, Vice-President of the Governing Council and the leader of the group in the Beheira province. Three Exchange Companies of the MB in Cairo and Giza have also been closed.
The group said in a statement yesterday that the authorities adopted a security crackdown against the group at the same time as the decision of the Criminal Court to release Osama Nasr al-Din, a member of the Guidance Bureau as well as a number of defendants in the famous case known as the international regulation of the MB which now includes Abulfotouh and his followers.
The group accused the security forces of confiscating the funds and the closure of companies and cutting means of livelihood on the group through illegal methods which are in violation to the Constitution.
The statement emphasized that the arrests confirm the failure of the system and its inability to achieve security. It provides a service to America and Israel, and tarnishes the reputation of Egypt locally and internationally, noting that the campaign aimed at the exclusion of the group from political life. The group continued in its statement, saying that the arrests came in the context of a sacrifice to the Americans and the Zionists in order to ensure the continuation of those in power in their positions and the use of foreign pressure upon citizens. The Arab Union of Physicians issued a statement expressing its deep regret for the arrest of Abulfotouh and Jamal Abdul Salam and demanded that officials intervene for their immediate release.
For his part, Abdel-Moneim Abdalmqsod, lawyer for the group, described the recent arrests to be in violation of the law and the Constitution. He pointed out that the decision of the Cairo Criminal Court yesterday morning regarding the release of 13 leaders in the group proves that security has not been able to provide real evidence against them on charges of membership to international organization, and Abdalmqsod demanded that security bodies implement the decision by the Court and return the rights of those released.