A member of the Muslim Brotherhood's Guidance Bureau said on Saturday that the detainment of the 11 Brotherhood members in the United Arab Emirates is a political issue. Mahmoud Ghozlan's statement was reinforced by Freedom and Justice Party spokesperson Mahmoud Soudan who added that no charges have been laid against them. Ghozlan said the Brotherhood supported stability in the region and security in Gulf countries, but said the accusations made against the defendants were false. He said it had been two months since their original detainment and no interrogation had been carried out, nor had their parents or lawyers been allowed to visit them. Ghozlan said such treatment is a violation of their basic human rights. “I don't know where they are," Ghozlan had told the satellite channel Egypt 25, adding that their parents were gravely concerned. As a result of their arrest, Ghozlan said relations had become tense between the UAE and Egypt. Soudan said he believes the real culprits behind their arrest were those with ties to the former regime in Egypt, adding that he believed Ahmed Shafiq and his supporters were after revenge for the Brotherhood's victory over Shafiq in presidential elections. “These people who were detained have been living in the UAE for 20 to 30 years," Soudan said. “They belong to the community they were living in and were respected members of their society, with families and friends." Soudan said the arrest was “dirty politics", claiming their arrest was a result of collaboration with people in high positions of power. “Negotiations are now being conducted between states," Soudan said, adding that the Brotherhood were not holding talks but would leave the negotiations to the government.
