MEMRI has published a translation of comments by a Muslim Brotherhood spokesman in the UK accusing Israel of destroying an Egyptian gas pipeline and urging Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia to become like Iran. According to the translation:
Following are excerpts from an interview with Kamal Al-Hilbawi, former speaker of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which aired on Al-Alam TV on Febraury 7, 2011:
Kamal Al-Hilbawi: The only foreign intervention in this revolution is that of Israel. They destroyed the gas pipeline, so that the revolutionaries would be accused of using explosives. No one would accept a destructive Iranian role in Egypt, or elsewhere. We think highly of a country whose president is important, courageous, and has a vision, which he presents in the UN, in Geneva, and everywhere. We think highly of a country that has a wise government, a country that confronts Western hegemony, and is scientifically and technologically advanced. Unfortunately, these characteristics can be found only in the Islamic Republic of Iran. I hope that Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia will be like that. They should spend their resources on scientific progress, and on building an army capable of dealing with the aggressors. There is no freedom in our countries. Unfortunately, Egypt is a clear example of the dictatorship, the corruption, the plundering of resources, the oppression of the people, the distortion of its will, the smuggling out of money, and the use of resources in the service of Israel, and in the service of a group of businessmen. We hope that every [Arab] country will make progress scientifically and technologically. Why do we import weapons? Why do we pay billions of dollars on war planes, which we only use to fight one another?
A previous post discussed El-Helbawy’s assertion that Islamist rule in Egypt would pose no threat to the West.
In October 2006, the U.S. government prevented Dr. Al-Helbawy from attending an NY conference on the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S. An earlier post discussed Helbawy’s statements on the Muslim Brotherhood as an example of deception operations.
To see all GMBDW coverage of developments, go here.
For GMBDW coverage on the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, go here.