David Cameron to announce new curbs on the Muslim Brotherhood
New curbs on the Muslim Brotherhood will be announced by David Cameron in the next few weeks, The Times reports.
An independent review was launched into the Islamist group two years ago after pressure grew from Saudi Arabia and Egypt to tackle the group's activities in the UK. Saudi Arabia, who have outlawed the group, complained that London was one of their main bases.
Cameron ordered the review headed by Sir John Jenkins, a former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, amid concerns that he did not know enough about the group's activities in London.
The Sunni Islamist group rose to political power in the Middle East amid the Arab Spring and the rise of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected President who was a member of the Brotherhood. However although the group used to enjoy support from Arab nations in the latter part of the 20th century, it is now considered a terrorist organisation by Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Although the measures recommended by the report will not be announced for a few weeks, it is understood that Cameron will brief the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on the effects of the review during his visit to London, which began yesterday. Insiders say the report calls for closer monitoring of the group.
Sisi, who became president in a military coup in July 2013, has severely restricted the group's freedom after ousting Morsi.
There have been several delays to publishing the report which was completed before the election in May. Initially this was due to a disagreement with then deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg over how it would be presented.
A further delay was then caused when Home Secretary Theresa May was concerned a row with the Muslim Brotherhood would not help effort to tackle jihadi propoganda. Some of May's advisors on Islamic relations are thought to be related to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Lord Macdonald, who advised the Brotherhood during the review, said in The Times he suspected Downing Street was struggling to make "a response they can sell to the Saudis as some sort of crackdown, but which isn't must more than window dressing."
"Ministers are probably nervous that any substantive measures might provoke a judicial review, forcing the disclosure and publication of Sir John Jenkins's report. Since this is widely believed to have expressed scepticism at the idea that the Muslim Brotherhood represents any kind of security threat in the UK, such a development could be very embarrassing indeed," he said.
Meanwhile protests have greeted Sisi's arrival in the UK as hundreds gathered outside Downing Street accusing him of mass human rights violations.