MOSCOW, December 16 (Sputnik) – The radical Islam promoted by members of the Muslim Brotherhood organization in Egypt are simply a justification for extremist acts, Nabil Na'eem, former leader of the Islamic Jihad, an Islamist group active in Egypt since the late 1970's, has told Sputnik.
"They can consider any person, who did not pray on time, an atheist," Na'eem said Monday, stressing that "all Muslim Brotherhood [members] know nothing about Islam" and their beliefs "are a theoretical base-line for all radicals".
According to Na'eem, who has spent over 20 years in Egyptian prisons for terrorist activity and who is now one of the most active critics of religious extremism, members of radical Islamist organizations, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, justify any unholy deed with religion if it serves their interests.
"The point is, they do not know anything about the religion that they claim to be promoting and protecting," Na'eem said, explaining that after the overthrow of president Hosni Mubarack in Egypt, such anti-Islamic practices as marrying 7-year-old girls and having sexual intercourse with deceased wives, started to be permitted.
"These are people who are trying to gain from any situation, motivating [their actions] with religious necessity," Na'eem said, stressing that the leaders of such groups are "unscrupulous Machiavellians [deceivers], looking for material gain and sponsors who would invest money in them".
Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in 2011, which led to the accession of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi. The latter was removed from power following mass anti-government protests in the summer of 2013.
In December 2013, the Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist organization. A number of its members were convicted of inciting murders and violence. The group dismisses the charges as politically motivated.
