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May 21, 2014 Special Dispatch No. 5751

Muslim Brotherhood Leader Muhammad Badi's Day In Court: We Fought Only Against The Jews, Not Against The Egyptian People

May 21, 2014
Egypt | Special Dispatch No. 5751

On May 18, 2014, during proceedings against him in a criminal court in Cairo, Muhammad Badi', General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, rejected the accusations brought against him and other members of the movement. Given two minutes to address the judges, he stood before them and said: "Never have we responded to violent attacks against us with violence. We are commanded to spread Allah's mercy through peaceful means." He further said: "We have fought only against the Jews... yet now we are being accused of conspiring with Hamas against the Egyptian people. This is an absolute lie."

Badi' is facing trial for inciting violence and blocking the Cairo-Alexandria road in July 2013, along with 45 other defendants, including Freedom and Justice Party secretary-general Muhammad Al-Beltagy and preacher Safwat Higazi. The verdict is expected on June 7.[i]

Footage from the May 18 court proceedings was posted on the Internet. For excerpts, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 4284.

We Fought Only Against The Jews, Not The Egyptian People

Muhammad Badi' (standing before the court): "Assalam Alaykum. Allah's blessings and prayers upon you.

Judge: You have two minutes."

Muhammad Badi': "Fine. This scene is recorded in the heavens, and if we do not meet again in this world, we shall definitely and undeniably meet on Judgment Day before the Lord's court of justice."

[…]

"Never have we responded to violent attacks against us with violence. We are commanded to spread Allah's mercy through peaceful means."

[…]

"We have fought only against the Jews, and Kamel Al-Sharif may testify about the conduct of the Muslim Brotherhood in the [1948] war in Palestine. We fought against the Jews. The Israeli strategic research institute wrote in a report: 'Our greatest enemies in the world are the Muslim Brotherhood.' This is an honor for us, yet now we are being accused of conspiring with Hamas against the Egyptian people. This is an absolute lie."

Badi' To Judiciary: "Beware Of Being Used In This Political Conflict"

Muhammad Badi': "Allah said: 'They will know tomorrow who the insolent liar is.' Our record is unblemished, and so is the record of our Egyptian judiciary, which is why the despotic rule in the days of Hosni Mubarak could not try us in civil courts. All our trials were held in military courts. Despite all that, we love our army. We were sentenced in military courts to a total of 15,000 years in prison. The regime could not try us in civil courts, so we were tried in military ones.

"Beware of being used in this political conflict, the likes of which we have not seen in the entire history of Egypt. Such crimes, killings, and bloodshed have not occurred in the history of Egypt."

[…]

"Let me tell you, Allah knows that we are innocent of all these accusations. Our evidence will be decisive, because Allah defends those who believe."

[…]

[i] Dailynewsegypt.com, May 18, 2014.

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