(New York Times) Michael Slackman - The Muslim Brotherhood, alone among opposition forces, can summon thousands of people to the street. Though the government refuses to allow it to operate as a political party, it remains Egypt's strongest opposition political force by far. (The group has been outlawed since 1954 when its leaders tried to kill Gamal Abdel Nasser.) As Egypt prepares to kick off its first multicandidate campaign for president, leading to a Sept. 7 election, the Muslim Brotherhood has re-emerged as a crucial player. Ayman Nour, leader of the centrist Tomorrow Party, has courted the Brotherhood and is seeking their endorsement. The Revolutionary Socialists, an underground leftist organization, and the Labor Party, an Islamic Socialist party, have both teamed up with the Brotherhood to swell the numbers at some recent demonstrations.
2005-08-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive