EGYPT: MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MPs DENY MILITANTS READY TO FIGHT IN LEBANON

Cairo, 8 August (AKI) - Members of parliament with the Muslim Brotherood, Egypt's main opposition group, have denied that militants are ready to leave for Lebanon to fight against Israel with Shiite militias Hezbollah. The statement on Tuesday appeared to deny an earlier claim by the movement's leader, Mohammed Mahdi Akef, who had announced that 10,000 Muslim Brotherhood militants were ready to leave for Lebanon.

"The aim of Akef's speech was to inspire people to embrace jihad ahainst the Jewish state," said the lawmakers in a statement, adding that "the training undertaken by youths in the organization's camps are merely spiritual and physical to forge their character, teaching them respect and courage."

The group's deputies also denied the existance of Muslim Brotherhood military training camps within Egypt and accused those making such allegations of defaming the group.

"The military training camps of the Brotherhood, which is an international organization, exist in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon because they are occupied countries, but in Egypt the confraternity only uses words as weapons," said lawmaker Mohasser Radi.

"Muslim Brothers in Egypt will use weapons only on the day they will have to defend their country against a foreign enemy," he said. "The faith and defence of rights are the only weapons the Brotherhood uses in Egypt."

Akef's statements had been slammed by political opinionists and the media who had called for an investigation into the alleged militants' cell in Egypt.