Salafist Nour Party official spokesperson Nader Bakkar (Photo: Ahram)
Leading Nour Party member Nader Bakkar defended the Salafist party against what he described as "rumors" spread by the Muslim Brotherhood, insisting that the Muslim Brotherhood's mission is marred by "violence" and "defamation."
In an interview with Al Arabiya TV channel on Monday, Bakkar said that the Muslim Brotherhood's "Islamic project" was characterised by violence, insult, and defamation, and that the group "twisted the Egyptian peoples' arm" for the sake of its own agenda.
"The Nour Party and the Salafist Call took the side of the people and the state on 30 June because they feared the collapse of Egypt's state institutions," Bakkar added, defending the Salafist party's decision on 3 July to support the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Salafist Call and its political arm The Nour Party have come under fierce attack from other Islamists since their endorsement of the 3 July roadmap that imposed Morsi's ouster. The Salafist movement and party have been described as "traitors" by their Islamist counterparts.
"The Muslim Brotherhood underestimated the importance of the constitution's identity-related articles when it refused to participate in the 50-member constitution committee. Now The Nour Party is alone in fighting and insisting on Islamic sharia and identity-related articles in the constitution," Bakkar said.
The Muslim Brotherhood has refused to participate in the constitutional committee formed to amend the suspended 2012 constitution, which was drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly during Morsi's rule. The Nour Party, which occupied the second-largest number of seats after the Muslim Brotherhood in the 2012 assembly, has insisted on maintaining Islamic-related articles in the amended constitution.
The leading Salafist member demanded that a fact finding committee investigate the violent clashes that have occurred since Morsi's ouster. He also accused the Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi supporters of spreading lies and rumours about the Egyptian armed forces.
It is not the first time for a leading Nour Party member to slam the Muslim Brotherhood. On Friday, party spokesperson Sherif Taha accused the Muslim Brotherhood of targeting Salafist Call and Nour Party figures.
Short link: