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Egypt's Islamists

(TIME) Aryn Baker and Abigail Hauslohner - When Egyptians go to the polls Nov. 28, all of the candidates of the country's largest opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, will be on the ballot as "independents," a transparent subterfuge that allowed the group to win one-fifth of parliamentary seats five years ago. The government argues that religion has no role in Egyptian politics. Founded in Egypt in 1928, its Islamist teachings have inspired violent groups like Hamas. Both Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri were influenced by the movement's embrace of political Islam. Gen. Fouad Allam, a former chief of Egypt's internal security services, raises the specter of an Islamist takeover of a key U.S. ally and describes a scenario in which Egypt's current peace treaty with Israel "would change 100%." The group has long been a vociferous critic of Israel. The Brotherhood's prescription for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is total abandonment of peace talks, coupled with international support for Palestinian armed resistance. Not surprisingly, Israel views the Brotherhood warily.
2010-11-24 09:06:45
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