THE Egyptian Gazette of April 14, 1966 published a detailed report on what it described as the 'dramatic testimony' given by Ali Abdo Ashmawy, the second accused in the Sayyed Kotb case, who was in charge of the Cairo cell of the Ikhwan's secret organisation and its military action. Headlined: Ashmawy admits Ikhwan intended to overthrow Government The Gazette report said: “A leading member of the underground organisation of the banned Muslim Brotherhood admitted in court yesterday that the organisation was planning to change the UAR system of Government by force.” “‘To achieve our purpose, a group of 70 terrorists trained in the use of arms to assassinate top officials, ferment sedition and sabotage public establishments. We had arms and explosives in our possession, obtained funds from abroad and manufactures explosives locally'” the accused told the court. He said that the Brotherhood's underground organisation was led by Sayyed Kotb, the first accused . On the authority of the Brotherhood's former Guide (leader) Hassan el-Hodeiby. Ashmawy said that the organisation was planning to kill the President of the Republic by throwing explosives at a presidential motorcade in Alexandria. el-Sayyed Ali Sabry, the Prime Minister, and other top officials were also intended targets. He also said that Magdy Abdulaziz was to assassinate the President, and that he (Ashmawy) was to kill Ali Sabry. He also told the court that he had informed King Faisal of Saudi Arabia (then Crown Prince) of the aims of the organisation, and that Faisal assured him he would supply them with funds and arms, but this never took place. Ashmawy revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood in Saudi Arabia was trying to set up formations in all Arab countries. But they were now divided into two groups, one led by Said Ramadan, and the other by Moustafa el-Alem and Mohamed Abul Seoud. [email protected]
