CAIRO Ñ The Muslim Brotherhood plans to maintain its current
policies after a change in leadership.
The Brotherhood, banned in Egypt but regarded as one of the most popular
opposition movements, elected a new spiritual guide. He is Mamoun El
Hodeiby,
83, who replaced the late Mustafa Mashur. Mashur sustained a stroke and died
on Nov. 14.
Brotherhood sources said the organization will continue what they termed
was peaceful opposition to the regime of President Hosni Mubarak. The
movement has called for a state based solely on Islamic law.
Egypt has banned the Brotherhood amid its success in winning seats in
parliament and controlling the nation's major professional association and
student unions. As a result, the Brotherhood, founded in 1928 and with
branches throughout the Arab world, sponsored candidates under different
auspices.
Hodeiby is regarded as a caretaker for the Brotherhood and did not face
opposition. He has been Mashhur's deputy since 1996.
The group was buoyed by the huge turnout for Mashhour's funeral earlier
this month. The organization said more than 200,000 people attended while
police put the figure at 50,000. Many of the mourners raised the Koran as an
act of defiance.
El Hodeiby told Brotherhood members that the group remains united
despite efforts to create dissension. He said the group would continue to be
guided by Islamic law. The Brotherhood has a 13-member guidance council.
"In the last few days we have been the target of a smear campaign that
talked about dissension, conflicts and differences within our ranks," he
said during a feast that ended the daily Islamic fast month of Ramadan. "But
rest assured, these are illusions and wishful thinking. For what holds us
together is unity. Our traditions and laws will have the ultimate authority
in deciding our affairs."
The organization is bracing for El Hodeiby's decision of his deputy.
The young guard of the Brotherhood is promoting Abdul Moneim Abu Futh, 51,
who rose to prominence in the 1970s when the movement was in alliance with
the regime of the late President Anwar Sadat. Sadat was killed by Islamist
members of the military in 1981.
The Brotherhood is regarded as a threat to many Arab regimes. Arab
leaders have blamed the Brotherhood for internal unrest, including the rise
of Al Qaida.
"The Brotherhood has done great damage to Saudi Arabia," Saudi Interior
Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz said. "Whenever they got into
difficulty or found their freedom restricted in their own countries,
Brotherhood activists found refuge in the kingdom which protected their
lives. But they later turned against the kingdom."
