17 Brotherhood members arrested after Egypt clashes (Roundup)

Oct 24, 2007, 16:22 GMT

Cairo - Seventeen members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group were arrested in Egypt Wednesday for rioting and fighting - including four rounded up after earlier clashes in Sharqiya province.

Witnesses told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that authorities arrested 13 students for rioting on university premises and clashing with opposing students from other trends and the incumbent student union over internal elections.

Four students were wounded in the reported fights, said witnesses.

Last week, filing for candidacy in Student Union elections began across Egyptian universities.

Student activists and leaders loyal to the outlawed brethren decried discrimination and claimed that they were banned from registering their names.

On Monday, hundreds of students began holding demonstrations in Cairo and Helwan universities in protest to the alleged discrimination.

Separately, four other group loyalists were arrested while seven more Brotherhood members, also allegedly involved in the Sharqiya clashes, were being sought by the police, according to local authorities.

Clashes had occurred during prayers on the Muslim feast of Eid al- Fitr on October 13, when 35 Brotherhood members were arrested on the spot.

All 46 group members are accused of violently disrupting prayers by preventing the local imams from the tradition of praying in a public square.

Witnesses and authorities earlier said the so-called Brothers had tried to secure a designated area on the square, but were prevented by police.

Clashes broke out and the Brothers started pelting security forces with stones. Police sources said a senior police officer and five other policemen were injured.

The Brotherhood members had carried pamphlets promoting the outlawed group and batons when they were arrested during prayers, authorities also claimed.

The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamic group that functions much like an opposition political party at loggerheads with the ruling party.

It is also considered a strong social organization with a large network across Egypt building and running mosques, hospital facilities and charity organisations.

Eighty-eight members of Egypt's lower-house of parliament are loyal to the group.