Opinion · Archive
Re: Canadians: List Egypt's Brotherhood a terrorist group
The Canadian Charger received several letters re the above item published last week.
This article is now looked after by Michelle Roy, Senior Editor.
From our archive. First published in The Canadian Charger on Dec. 8, 2013, with its original author. Reviewed and updated on Nov. 11, 2026 by Michelle Roy, Senior Editor. Details reflect what was known when it was first published.
The article did not reflect the views of the Canadian Charger or its editorial board.
Except for personal insults the Charger offered every letter writer a chance to publish his/her letter or for he/she to write a full op-ed with opposing views for publication. The second leading item this week is such op-ed.
For the last 10 years I have been dividing my time between Canada and Egypt. I participated in the Jan 25, 2011 revolution.
Egyptians trusted Morsi before Nov 22, 2012 when he turned into a dictator against the will of judges, lawyers, profs, writers, women and youth groups, the Church, army, police, Al Azher, moderate Muslims, farmers, labour, media personal, minority groups etc. etc. etc.
According to the ex-leaders of the MB - e.g. Dr. Mohamed Habib which I met - Egypt's MB is a secret organization but their number is about 200,000. If you add to them their supporters, all represent less than 1% of the 90 million Egyptians.
Egyptians were not willing to be ruled by an Islamist dictator - Morsi - after getting rid of a secular one - Mubarak. I wrote extensively on the topic with facts.
On June 30, 2013 Egyptians went to the streets to ask for an early presidential election - their right. Morsi refused and the army removed him. The army refused and forced him out of office exactly as they did with Mubarak.
After June 30 and for the first time in history an anti "coup" group - in this case the MB - resorted to killing, terrorism, etc all in the name of Islam.
MB's mufti Dr. Youssef Qaradawi used his weekly Friday sermons from Qatar which are aired by the royal- family's Aljazeraah to entice killing of Egyptians in the name of Jehad. All this is wrong.
But Egyptians spoke against the sometime heavy handed police reaction and also against a new law to regulate demonstration although it is in norm with similar international laws.
Egypt now is struggling to get back on the road to democracy: an inclusive new constitution has been written which grantees minority rights and next month it will be voted on. Following that there will be elections for parliament and president.
Let us hope and pray that Egypt be free from fascistism and dictatorship - in the name of Islam or in any other name. God bless Egypt.
Correction, Nov. 10, 2026. The mass demonstrations took place on June 30, 2013, not June 20. Protesters demanded President Mohamed Morsi's resignation and early presidential elections.
Correction, Nov. 10, 2026. The military issued a 48-hour ultimatum on July 1, 2013, and Morsi rejected it. The military then removed him from office on July 3, and reporting does not support the claim that Morsi ordered the army to fire on protesters.
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