CAIRO, May 15 (Reuters) Egyptian security forces barred a key figure from the Muslim Brotherhood, the country's strongest opposition group, from travelling to Oslo today to take part in a conference, the Brotherhood and security sources said.
Essam el-Erian, who heads the Brotherhood's political department and spent six months in detention last year, said he was told at the airport he would not be allowed on a flight to Paris, from where he was due to travel on to Oslo.
''I was surprised in the airport that they called my name after I passed through passport control, and they stamped my passport, and then they told me I was barred from travel,'' Erian told Reuters.
''It is for political reasons.'' Erian said he had been due to attend a two-day conference on dialogue between civilisations.
The government has intensified a crackdown on the Brotherhood since the group's strong showing in 2005 elections, which gave it roughly a fifth of the seats in parliament. It has targeted Brotherhood finances and detained or arrested hundreds.
Parliament also lifted the immunity of two members of the Brotherhood earlier this month as a prerequisite for sending them for trial.
A set of constitutional amendments approved in a referendum in March gave President Hosni Mubarak broad powers to transfer anyone suspected of terrorism to military courts, known for tough and swift verdicts. Some 40 members of the group are facing trial before a military court.
REUTERS SLD KP1626 7
Essam el-Erian, who heads the Brotherhood's political department and spent six months in detention last year, said he was told at the airport he would not be allowed on a flight to Paris, from where he was due to travel on to Oslo.
''I was surprised in the airport that they called my name after I passed through passport control, and they stamped my passport, and then they told me I was barred from travel,'' Erian told Reuters.
''It is for political reasons.'' Erian said he had been due to attend a two-day conference on dialogue between civilisations.
The government has intensified a crackdown on the Brotherhood since the group's strong showing in 2005 elections, which gave it roughly a fifth of the seats in parliament. It has targeted Brotherhood finances and detained or arrested hundreds.
Parliament also lifted the immunity of two members of the Brotherhood earlier this month as a prerequisite for sending them for trial.
A set of constitutional amendments approved in a referendum in March gave President Hosni Mubarak broad powers to transfer anyone suspected of terrorism to military courts, known for tough and swift verdicts. Some 40 members of the group are facing trial before a military court.
REUTERS SLD KP1626 7
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