Egyptian police arrest 18 activists after Gaza demonstration

Jan 11, 2009, 15:16 GMT

Cairo - Egyptian security officers detained 18 members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the country's largest opposition group, from their homes in Alexandria shortly before dawn Sunday morning, security sources said.

The men face charges of 'disturbing public order' in connection with their alleged role in organizing a demonstration in Alexandria on Friday, security sources said.

Some 100,000 people gathered in the Mediterranean city, a traditional stronghold of the banned group, to call on the Egyptian government to cut all ties with the Israeli government as the military campaign in Gaza enters its third week.

The crisis in Gaza has heightened tensions between the Muslim Brotherhood and the ruling National Democratic Party.

Clashes erupted in parliament several times over the course of Saturday, with opposition and ruling-party members of parliament angrily accusing each other of being 'traitors' for their respective stances on Gaza.

Fellow Brotherhood MPs had to restrain Ashraf Badr from hitting ruling-party MP Hassan Nashat with his shoe.

Muslim Brotherhood MPs, who occupy their seats as independents because the group is officially banned, have repeatedly called on the Egyptian government to open Egypt's border with Gaza to allow humanitarian supplies to reach the territory and to allow Gazans to flee the fighting.