Biyokulule Online

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood head misquoted on Somali Islamists – paper
January 26, 2008

Muhammad Mahdi Akif

Text of report by Hassunah Hammad published by Muslim Brotherhood website Ikhwanonline on 24 January

His eminence the General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood [MB] Group, Muhammad Mahdi Akif, has denied the statements attributed to him concerning his attitude towards the election of a new leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Somalia. He said that his statements to Islamonline site did not touch from far or near on the domestic conditions of the Muslim Brotherhood in Somalia and that he did not mention the names of any Muslim Brotherhood leader there.

Moreover, in the statements he made to one of the editors of the website, he did not say that there were divisions or that he belittled the role of the Somali reform movement in rejecting the aggression on Somalia and its people.

The MB General Guide said that he regretted that a media website known for its high status and credibility would reach this degree of revision and distortion.

Akif said in his statements to Ikhwanonline that he was respectful and fully appreciative of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in Somalia in a critical phase of the age of the life of this Islamic country which treacherous people are seeking to undermine its unity and strength.

It should be recalled that Islamonline website has published statements attributed to his eminence the MB General Guide saying that he supported the new leadership of the Somali Muslim Brotherhood because it represented the thought of the MB Group and that it was more courageous in confronting the Ethiopian occupation that is supported by the United States. This was what has disturbed the MB Group in Egypt and also in Somalia. Many people viewed the report published by Islamonline as being based on revision and mistakes which surely made Islamonline lose its credibility and popularity.

In a related development, the Somali Reform Movement issued a statement, which Ikhwanonline received a copy of, denying the introduction of any changes in the various councils and leaderships of the movement.

The movement said in its statement: The information that has been published by the media is groundless and false fabrications only aimed at distorting the reputation and achievements of the movement as well as its policy that is based on peaceful change, national reconciliation, refraining from enlisting the help of foreigners, and discarding all forms of violence among the Somali people.

The movement asserted that those who published such news and statement were not members of the movement and that the movement is not responsible for anything that is published from outside its own bureaucracy by its members vis-a -vis its actions, words, and deeds.

Source: Ikhwanonline website, Cairo, in Arabic 24 Jan 08