CAIRO: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says it will set up a political party once restrictions are lifted that prevented it and other groups from doing so under President Hosni Mubarak. The Islamist group said in a statement it had declared its desire to a set up a party many years ago but was stopped by the political parties law, one of many curbs on political activity during Mubarak's rule. "When the popular demand for the freedom to form parties is realized, the group will found a political party," said the statement, posted on the group's website and dated Feb. 14. "The Muslim Brotherhood group believes in the freedom of the formation of political parties. They are eager to have a political party," spokesman Mohammed Mursi said in a statement on the Brotherhood website. The Brotherhood was founded in the 1920s and has deep roots in Egypt's conservative Muslim society. Although Mubarak maintained a formal ban on the group, his administration tolerated it so long as it did not challenge his power. The Brotherhood said on Saturday it would not seek the presidency or a parliamentary majority in elections which Egypt's new military rulers have promised to hold. Essam el-Arian, a prominent Brotherhood figures, said the movement would not run any candidate for upcoming presidential elections, acknowledging that such a move would be too controversial. "We are not going to have a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections. Its time for solidarity, its time for unity, in my opinion we need a national consensus," he said. But he said the Brotherhood's top leadership had decided on the creation of a party. The military council, which took over from Mubarak on Friday, has said it plans to transfer power to civilians and establish democratic rule. The council has said it will govern temporarily until elections are held. The United States has expressed concern about what it has called the Brotherhood's "anti-American rhetoric", but stopped short of saying it would be against the group taking a role in a future government. The Brotherhood's charter calls for creation of an Islamic state in Egypt, and Mubarak's regime depicted the Brotherhood as aiming to take over the country, launching fierce crackdowns on the group. Some Egyptians remain deeply suspicious of the secretive organization, fearing it will exploit the current turmoil to vault to power. But others — including the secular, liberal youth activists who launched the anti-Mubarak uprising — say the Brotherhood has to be allowed freedom to compete in a democracy alongside everyone else. Support by young cadres in the Brotherhood was key to the protests' success, providing manpower and organization, though they never came to form a majority in the wave of demonstrations.
