Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — An Egyptian court has been examining a petition to disband
the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Cairo Administrative Court has been hearing a petition to dissolve
the Brotherhood on grounds that the ruling movement was operating illegally.

Judge Farid Tanagho has presided over arguments that Egypt never formally lifted its ban on the Brotherhood, which over the last decade failed to register with the government.

“They had an excuse before the [2011] revolution, but I do not know why
they haven’t taken that step afterwards,” Abdul Moneim Abu El Fotouh, a former Brotherhood leader, said.

The petitioner, the Arab Center for Integrity and Transparency, told the
court that the Brotherhood, which formed the Freedom and Justice Party, represented a secret organization that threatened national security. Center director Shehata Shehata quoted Brotherhood defectors.

“They are masonic, illegitimate and extremist,” Shehata, an attorney, said.

Tanagho, president of the Cairo Administrative Court, said he would rule
on the petition on March 26. On March 12, the judge presided over a tense
hearing in which Brotherhood attorneys requested time to study evidence
submitted by the petitioner.

In 2012, Justice Minister Ahmed Meki acknowledged difficulties with the
legal status of the Brotherhood. One difficulty was the Brotherhood’s
refusal to register under a 2002 law that regulated non-governmental
organizations. Over the last few weeks, Brotherhood members said they would
seek official recognition under new legislation prepared by the Morsi
regime.

The Brotherhood angered many supporters when the movement
violated a pledge not to run in presidential elections in 2012. Critics said
the Brotherhood, one of whose leaders, Mohammed Morsi, is now president,
should have remained a religious organization.

“If any of its members would like to practice politics, [they] should do
that away from the Muslim Brotherhood,” Abu El Foutouh said in a television
interview.

  Abdul Moneim Abu El Fotouh, Arab Center for Integrity and Transparency, Egyptian court asked to disband ‘illegitimate and extremist’ Muslim Brotherhood, Judge Faird Tanagho, Mohammed Morsi