UK report into Muslim Brotherhood delayed: report

LONDON - Reuters

Prime Minister Cameron has been reportedly under pressure from Gulf allies. REUTERS photo

A British government report on Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has been delayed as ministers and officials disagree over its findings, the Financial Times reported on Aug. 17, citing official sources.
   
The newspaper said Prime Minister David Cameron, under pressure from allies in the Gulf, had asked Britain's ambassador to Saudi Arabia to conduct an investigation into whether the Muslim Brotherhood should be classified as a terrorist organisation.
   
Citing official sources, the newspaper said that the report had found the political group should not be labelled a terrorist organisation and had found little evidence that its members are involved in terrorist activities. (http://on.ft.com/Vx26cc)
   
However, ministers afraid of a backlash from allies in the Middle East have stalled the publication of the report for several weeks, the Financial Times said.
   
UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office could not immediately be reached for comment.
   
The Muslim Brotherhood, once Egypt's oldest, best organised and most successful political movement, has seen hundreds of its members killed and thousands detained since then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi overthrew elected president and Brotherhood member Mohamed Mursi 13 months ago, following weeks of protest.