A parliament member from the Egyptian Social Democratic Party on Sunday submitted a formal request that the prime minister and ministers of social solidarity and justice be called for an investigation of the legitimacy of the Muslim Brotherhood's activities. MP Sanaa al-Saeed said the Brotherhood is operating in illegal ways and accused the government of “breaking the oath to uphold the constitution and the law by allowing the Brotherhood to perform without having an organizational framework governed by the constitution and the law.” The Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party described Saeed's request as a politically-motivated attempt to settle scores with the Brotherhood and said it does not pose a threat to the group. Nasser Othman, a member of the FJP's parliamentary bloc, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that certain powers “are behind the interpellation request,” likely referring to liberal and leftist powers from the Egyptian Bloc, which includes the Egyptian Social Democratic Party. Othman said the Brotherhood requested to be registered under former President Gamal Abdel Nasser, but he rejected the group. The group is currently seeking registration as a civil society organization, he said. “Legitimizing the status of the Brotherhood concerns the Muslim Brothers alone,” Othman said. In an interview with the Hona al-Asema talk show on CBC satellite channel, Saeed said the investigation request was intended to help the Brotherhood legitimize their existence. Saeed added that the Brotherhood is a “strong faction that has a parliamentary majority,” and that the group is going to play a major role in the formation of a new government. “One of their members could get nominated for the presidency,” she said. “That is why we want to legitimize their status.” The Brotherhood was banned before the 25 January revolution, Saeed said, but it should now be registered and subject to monitoring by the Ministry of Supply and Social Affairs and the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. Saeed said that having an investigation of the Brotherhood and future oversight over its activities is a necessary step if Egypt is to enter a new age of accountability, in which even the affairs of the armed forces will no longer be secret as they were previously “Now, we are even asking the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to present its budget to Parliament,” she said.
