The Muslim Brotherhood released a statement Saturday denouncing Friday’s arson attack on the headquarters of the liberal opposition Ghad Al-Thawra Party in downtown Cairo.
The party offices were torched Friday by masked men shortly after party founder Ayman Nour said he wouldn't mind taking up a leadership position in government if invited to do so by Egypt President Mohamed Morsi.
“This is vandalism, like what happened with the headquarters of Al-Wafd Party and the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP — the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing),” read the statement published by the Muslim Brotherhood, adding that those behind the attacks must be punished.
Nour, who met with the president last week, said in an interview published Thursday in Ahram Arabic newspaper that he was ready to head the government, a statement that prompted a fierce backlash against him on social media sites.
However, Essam Badawi, member of Ghad Al-Thawra, told Al-Ahram Arabic website that it was not clear if the attack was instigated by Nour’s statement.
"I cannot accuse anyone of scheming this incident," Badawi said.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s official website accused members of the Black Bloc of being behind the attack.
In December, several headquarters of the FJP were torched by opponents of the group from which President Morsi hails. Also, on 15 December, liberal Al-Wafd Party was attacked, allegedly by supporters of Salafist preacher Hazem Salah Abu Ismail. Abu Ismail vehemently denied responsibility for the attack.
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