Jordan Times
Friday, August 25, 2006
Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan
'legitimate’ — government
AMMAN (JT) — The government on Thursday said the Kingdom’s Muslim Brotherhood,
which was reportedly included in Russia’s “terror” list, was a “legitimate”
movement that works in line with the Jordanian Constitution and laws.
Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh said the group “is of Jordanian
particularities, which make it distinguishable from any other organisation that
carries the same name in any other country inside or outside the Middle East”,
according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra.
“In Jordan, it’s a peaceful organisation that believes in lawful action, rejects
violence and terrorism, and is keen on domestic peace and dialogue,” he added.
Judeh said the Muslim Brotherhood is a “genuine part of national political life
that exercises opposition policies in a responsible way and through its deputies
in the Lower House”.
Expressing Jordan’s “pride in the deep bilateral ties with Russia and
appreciation of its support for Arab causes”, Judeh said he hoped the
clarification would remove any confusion, according to Petra.
On Wednesday, the Lower House urged Russia to remove the Muslim Brotherhood from
a list of 17 groups declared “terrorist organisations” by the country’s supreme
court.
The House said in a statement the decision was “unjust and groundless”,
stressing that the movement is “a respectful charity organisation that has
nothing to do with any terrorist activities”.
News reports said the Muslim Brotherhood’s sympathy with the Chechen fighters
prompted the Russian move.
Russia’s supreme court declared 17 groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, Al
Qaeda and Afghanistan’s Taleban, “terrorist organisations”, Russia’s government
daily Rossiiskaya reported on July 28.
The list included several local organisations linked to separatist and religious
movements in the North Caucasus and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia.
But it did not include the Palestinian group Hamas or Lebanese Shiite Hizbollah,
both of which are considered “terrorist” organisations by the United States.