The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood is reporting that the Egyptian government is in the process of returning funds belonging to the organization and seizes in trials recently conducted by the former Mubarak government. According to a report on the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood website:
n a recent statement top Muslim Brotherhood lawyer Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud, has confirmed that the Attorney-General on behalf of the Supreme State Security has responded to the memos issued by senior MB leaders to reclaim their confiscated money. The funds estimated to be worth tens of millions of pounds were seized during the numerous unjust military and emergency court trials the most recent being the trial known as the international network. Abdul Maqsoud asserted to “Al-Arabiya.Net” that the Attorney General has ordered the MB seniors receive a large share of their seized money, and procedures are currently being completed to recover all property and other seized assets.Abdul Maqsoud confirmed that he will present this week other notes to the persecution’s office for the reopening of all branches belonging to Al-Sabah trade Exchange owned by Dr. Osama Al-Suleiman who was released last week. Unjustly charged with money laundering and the funding of an illegal political organization Suleiman was sentenced to 5 years of detention together with other International Muslim Brotherhood members, including a Saudi national, who were charged in absentia. Maqsoud also added that further legal actions have been taken in favour of the MB members who were subjected to imprisonment and confiscation of their money. However no other details have been disclosed. Regarding the proceedings concerning the dropping of former charges against the group’s leaders, Abdel-Maqsoud said chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) Judge Farouk Sultan promised that the Court will hold a hearing in the coming days to examine an appeal lodged by the Brotherhood to revoke decisions by ousted President Hosni Mubarak to refer civilians military courts. He also noted that if the Constitutional Court ruled unconstitutionality of Mubarak’s decision to refer civilians to military courts, the provisions that were issued against MB chairman Al Shater, businessman Hassan Malek and other Brothers will be revoked. This, in turn, would entail that they would recover their seized property, and would be entitled to enjoy full political rights. Related, the files leaked from state security headquarters were raided by protesters a few weeks ago have revealed a close relationship with Adel Abdel Salam Gomaa, who ordered to seize properties belong to senior MB figures and their families.
An earlier post reported that the Egyptian Brotherhood was attempting to reopen companies belong to Brotherhood members that were closed by the former Mubarak government. Other posts had reported on trials of Egyptian Brotherhood members on money-laundeirng charges under the Mubarak regime.
It should be noted that the Muslim Brotherhood today has become a global network and that the Egyptian mother branch is not necessarily the most important part of the movement. Sheikh Youssef Qaradawi, close to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, is often referred to by the GMBDW as the most important leader of the global Muslim Brotherhood, an acknowledgement of his role as the de facto spiritual leader of the movement. In 2004, Qaradawi turned down the offer to lead the Egyptian Brotherhood after the death of the Supreme Guide.