Apparently, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are not the only countries concerned about the sudden political rise of the Muslim Brotherhood. Just three weeks after the Kingdom labelled the group a terrorist organization, British Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an investigation of the Muslim Brotherhood over concerns about its links to violent extremism. Cameron has commissioned an internal government review of the “philosophy, activities and impact” on British national interests at home and abroad and the UK's policy toward the movement. Downing Street said the Muslim Brotherhood has risen in prominence in recent years but that Britain's understanding of the organization - its philosophy and values - has not kept pace with this. Given the concerns now being expressed about the group and its links to violent extremism, London is doing what is prudent. It wants to get a better handle on what the Brotherhood stands for, how it intends to achieve its aims and what that means for Britain. The Brotherhood has long had a presence in London. The former head of MI6 has reportedly described the Muslim Brotherhood as “at heart a terrorist organization”. There have now been reports that a significant number of prominent members have fled to the British capital from Egypt where they fell from power just as quickly as they rose to it. That Muslim Brotherhood leaders met in London last year to plan their response to the events in Egypt is in itself cause for alarm and a possible crime. Not for naught did Egypt, then Saudi Arabia declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group. It is behind a wave of deadly attacks on the Egyptian police and military and is a threat to the Kingdom's security. A separate militant group, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, is also responsible for attacks in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Whitehall officials have suspected for some time that a small number of people belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK also have links to violent extremism. The UK government is wary of once again letting London and other British cities become a haven for radical Islamists as happened in the 1990s. However, Britain would not want to alienate the millions of Muslims who have never espoused violence. Not every MB member or sympathizer is a terrorist or supports terrorism. Perhaps cases should be treated individually rather than part of a collective policy. It is possible that the Brotherhood will be added to the list of groups banned by Britain for terrorist connections. The criteria by which an organization can be proscribed, according to the Terrorism Act 2000, focus on involvement in acts of terrorism, but also consider the nature and scale of an organization's activities, the specific threat that it poses to the UK and the need to support other members of the international community in the global fight against terrorism. The case of exiles from Egypt, meeting in the heart of Britain, plotting revenge, fits some of these categories. The activities are dangerous enough to warrant a thorough review of the Muslim Brotherhood's intentions.
