- The three leading Muslim Brotherhood members arrested in Egypt on Monday are accused of forming secret terrorist groups in the provinces and plotting to overthrow the government to establish an Islamic state.
Egyptian police arrested Muslim Brotherhood deputy leader Mahmud Ezzat and three members of the opposition on Monday, along with 13 activists.
The Muslim Brotherhood, in a statement has maintained that the accusation by the country’s security services were baseless, maintaining that the group adheres to its peaceful ideology and democratic principles.
“These are ridiculous charges. We have seen this many times in the past and the courts have all said there is no foundation for these accusations,” Brotherhood’s top lawyer, Abdel Moneim Abdel Maksoud said.
This week's arrests netted the most senior members since a crackdown in 2005 and 2006, which also targeted Mr Ezzat, then secretary general, as well as one of the group's four deputy leaders, Khairat el-Shater, who is still imprisoned.
Despite the ban, the Brotherhood controls a fifth of seats in parliament after it fielded candidates as independents in the 2005 election.
The group, founded in 1928 was officially banned by the government
since 1954 after the government accused it of attempting to assassinate late President Gamal Abdel Nasser in Alexandria.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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