Egypt 'planning to splinter Muslim Brotherhood'

Egyptian authorities are planning to splinter the Muslim Brotherhood group and further reduce its influence, sources have told al-Araby al-Jadeed.

The sources said Egypt was planning a move similar to that in Jordan, where the government earlier this year granted a licence to a splinter group and formalising a schism that divided the country's Brotherhood movement.

Egypt plans to grant a licence to an association composed of former Brotherhood leaders who supported the army's removal of Mohamed Morsi from the presidency, and recognise that group as the legitimate Brotherhood movement in the country.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi invited former Brotherhood leaders to the presidential palace two months ago to discuss the plan, according to the source. They included Kamal al-Helbawi and lawyers Mokhtar Nouh and Tharwat al-Kherbawi, who had all been fired by the Brotherhood.

The source however told al-Araby: "Some voices from within the regime and some Brotherhood associates, however, told Sisi such a move was doomed to failure - the structure of the group in Egypt is completely different to the group in Jordan."

"Even if Brotherhood guide Mohamed Badie split away, not a single MB member would follow him."

According to the sources, Helbawi proposed to instead open the political sphere to the Brotherhood's youth movement, which has rejected violence as a means of protest.

The Brotherhood has been branded a terrorist organisation in Egypt.

This is an edited translation of the original Arabic.