Ex-head of Salafist political Party reveals Muslim Brotherhood’s rejection of peaceful initiatives in 2013

CAIRO – 30 June 2022: On the ninth anniversary of the June 30 revolution that ended the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, former head of the Salafist political Party Al Nour, Younes Makhyoun, revealed for the first time that the Muslim Brotherhood was given a number of peaceful initiatives to leave power in 2013 but the banned group resorted to violent choices.

In an interview with Masr Times newspaper, Makhyoun said that late President Mohamed Morsi was offered to return to the political life in exchange for ending the pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins in Rabaa and Nahada squares. However, Morsi refused, according to Makhyoun.

“The Brotherhood received many proposals during June 30, which would have contributed to their [political] presence in Egypt. An initiative was presented days before June 30 by the Nour Party, but the Brotherhood rejected it,” as the initiative included calling for holding a popular referendum on early presidential elections.

Makhyoun further added that the Muslim Brotherhood has called upon the Salafis to join the Rabaa Square sit-in.

After the incidents of July 3 when then-Mosri was ousted following mass protests across Egypt, another initiative was presented by former presidential candidate Mohamed Salim Al-Awa to release Morsi from prison, while declaring him [Morsi] a consensual prime minister in charge of ruling the country until presidential elections are held, and in return the Rabaa and Nahda sit-ins would come to an end, Makhyoun continued.

Although the political powers at that time agreed on the second initiative, the Brotherhood retreated and sent a message calling on the Nour Party and the Salafists to join the sit-ins, but the Salafists rejected their call, Makhyoun said.

Another initiative was introduced after the failure of the previous one; Salafist Sheikh Muhammad Hassan proposed to release the imprisoned members of the Brotherhood, and disperse the Rabaa sit-in, but the Brotherhood’s responded: “100 thousand martyrs are ready for Morsi’s return.”

Makhyoun said that Sisi was one of those who affirmed the unwillingness to clash and accepted many initiatives to solve the situation.

How did the banned group resort to violence?

On the first anniversary of January 25 Revolution that toppled the 30-year-old regie of late President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the Muslim Brotherhood clashed with civil forces at Tahrir square, said Tariq Al-Khouly, the Member of the Foreign Relations Committee at the Egyptian House of Representatives, in media comments to 9:00 talk show on State-owned Channel 1, on Wednesday.

He added that the banned group made use of the January 25 anniversary to make gains in the elections and to “rob the entire country.”

Also, political activist Ahmed Maher, the founder of the April 6 Movement, said in March 2022 that the Brotherhood broke all the promises they made to the national and revolutionary forces, and they did not implement any of them.

It was a surprise when the political powers found that the Brotherhood excluded everyone, “and even mocked the blood of the martyrs."

Following the ouster of Morsi, Cairo-based Rabaa Square and Giza’s square was occupied by supporters of ousted Muslim Brotherhood pawn Mohamed Morsi. Authorities at that time delayed clearing the two protest camps as internal and external reconciliation process was established to resolve the crisis peacefully.

But even before this, as calls for early presidential elections started in April 2013, some Muslim Brotherhood supporters have resorted to intimidation and violence against Morsi’s detractors.

Observers have constantly despised how foreign media dealt with the issue, and how one-sided coverages aimed at hiding the truth that a group of terrorists and their sympathizers and supporters were threatening the security of a country with such significant stature like Egypt.

While Western media seems to ignore the issue, there have been alarming incidents of violence within the vicinity of the pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins, as well as continued attacks in Sinai and throughout Egypt’s governorates that growing evidence is linking to the Brotherhood.

There were even semi-paramilitary activities taking place inside the Muslim Brotherhood camps in Rabaa, but you will never see this published by Western or funded media outlets; Marches of Brotherhood supporters holding sticks and chanting Islamist slogans have been organized and routinely carried out throughout Cairo.

The following audio shows that member Muslim Brotherhood Ayman Shawqy El Khateeb was phone calling Khaled Saad Hassanein, the assistant to the group’s de facto leader Khairat El Shatter, telling him that the group’s members and supporters were mobilized in Nahda square. Khateeb was also talking about giving orders to set fires to the headquarters of all political parties nationwide.

July 26 witnessed the killing of at least ten civilians, including hawkers and a Christian, as they were suspected to be anti-Morsi protesters, as well as the torture and interrogation of other civilians inside a mosque in Alexandria.