UTV | CAIRO – A recent crackdown on Islamist politicians has raised calls in Egypt for dissolving their parties over alleged links with terrorism.
Last month, Egyptian authorities arrested ex-presidential candidate Abdul Moneim Abu Al Fotouh, the head of the Islamist Strong Egypt Party, on charges of spreading false news and connections with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. A court also placed Abu Al Fotouh, an ex-Brotherhood official, on the terrorism list.
In June last year, an Arab quartet designated Tarek Al Zomor, the leader of the Egyptian Islamist Building and Development Party, as a terrorist along with 58 other Islamists associated with Qatar. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have since severed diplomatic and transportation links with Qatar over its support for militant groups.
Al Zomor, who lives in Qatar, is charged in Egypt in several cases related to terrorism and incitement to violence. After being designated as a terrorist, he quit the leadership of his Cairo-based party.
In Egypt, several lawsuits have been filed against Islamist parties, demanding their dissolution, foreign media reports.