UK Brotherhood report 'concludes no link to terrorism'

A shelved UK report into the Muslim Brotherhood concludes that it is not a terrorist organisation and has no connection to violence, according to a British legal source.

The source on Thursday told al-Araby al-Jadeed that the UK investigation concluded that the group did not promote violence and was not hostile to British interests.

However publication of the investigation has been delayed several times amid pressure from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have all listed the Brotherhood as a "terrorist" group.

Publication was called off in December by the prime minister, David Cameron, and it was again delayed in mid-March. Parliament has now been dissolved, meaning its release will not happen before a new government is formed.

The legal source says the investigation by Sir John Jenkins, the British ambassador in Riyadh, will not change the UK's position towards the Brotherhood.

"The two-page conclusion consists of remarks about some of the intellectual references the Brotherhood has adopted for guidance, which may raise suspicions about the group's adoption of a pro-terrorism position," he said.

"But, for the moment, no connections have been proven between the group, and its charities, and hostile acts against British interests. The report conclusively proved that the Brotherhood's agenda did not promote violence."

However, the report did recommend the "monitoring" of Brotherhood linked organisations in the UK.

A source in the Brotherhood said that Jenkins had come to his conclusion after meeting seenior Brotherhood leaders.

"Talks between him and Ibrahim Mounir about the group's position towards Coptic Christians and other religious groups left a positive impression, which was clearly reflected on the report," he said.

"The British government was on the horns of a dilemma. Saudi Arabia's withdrawal from the game of economic pressure on Britain contributed significantly to bringing the report to a close."

He said pressure from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the UK to ban the group had failed.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.