Egyptian media is reporting that Muslim Brotherhood spokesperson Kemal Helbawy (aka Kemal al-Halabawi) has returned to Egypt after 23 years of “volunrary exile) in the UK. According to a report in Al-Masry Al-Youm
Prominent Muslim Brotherhood figure Mostafa Kamal al-Halabawy returned to Egypt on Tuesday, having lived for 23 years in voluntary exile in London. Sources said al-Halabawy decided to return when he knew his name had been dropped from the Egyptian security forces’ wanted list and no provisions were issued against him in the case known as the “group’s international organization”. He said that he was pleased to return home, and that he was compelled to leave in the first place because he had opposed the former corrupt regime, as he put it. The Muslim Brotherhood group said al-Halabawy’s return was a manifestation of the freedom that had been attained as a result of the 25 January revolution. Al-Halabawy was a member of the group’s international organization in Europe, which the group dissolved in 2006.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
Helbawy has been frequently interviewed about the Muslim Brotherhood on various media through out the recent events in Egypt.
According to his resume, Helbawi is the former official spokesperson of the Muslim Brotherhood in the West, one of the founders of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), and one of the founders of the Muslim Council of Britain, a U.K. umbrella organization comprised largely of Muslim Brotherhood organizations. He is currently the director of the London-based Center for the Study of Terrorism (CFSOT) which purports to be a think-tank describing itself as follows:
…an independent research and consultancy organisation, dedicated to the in-depth study of Islamic resurgence, democratisation and extremism in the Muslim world. Working with high-quality primary sources, CFSOT delivers unique information and analysis to its clients. The centre publishes a monthly journal and provides training and courses on terrorism-related issues as well as bespoke consultancy services.