Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Dr. Mohamed Beltagy, member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)’s Executive Bureau, said: "God be my witness, history will record that we never attacked anyone, but were attacked in every possible way... our leaders and youths were killed, our offices – and even our homes – stormed, ransacked, burned and totally destroyed – not to mention the insults and obscenities we had to suffer.

"We never did any injustice, but have been injusticed… as the results of Egypt’s first credible elections and repeated referenda were rejected. We never mounted no coup, but a coup against us is mounted, as electoral and constitutional legitimacy is rejected, a certain viewpoint is imposed on all, and guardianship is enforced over the people against their clearly expressed will."

The FJP leader further said, "We were never tenacious or inflexible; but were treated with irrational intransigence... we invited them for dialogue repeatedly, but they refused stubbornly; we offered solutions to the crisis, but they insisted on early presidential elections immediately and by force of arms, even though they would have been able to change things completely – the government, the presidency and the constitution – with the mechanisms of peaceful democracy, if they won parliamentary majority – so long as they believe the people are with them.

"It is absurd to blame the victims, and ask them to stop even peaceful expression, place the responsibility of bloodshed on their shoulders, and refrain from blaming the perpetrator, the aggressor who rejects legitimacy!"

Dr. Beltagy affirmed that parties supporting legitimacy are steadfast in their refusal of the coup, in total peacefulness, as they declare continued adherence to their fair position.

"I bear witness of God that we never took this position in defense of any particular person or group, but to defend the will of the people which is do not expressed in mutual crowd-massing but using the tools of democracy which we accepted and they rejected.

"We never took this historic position, which we fully embrace, except to avoid a repeat of the past sixty years’ scenario, with all its horrendous consequences for the country and the nation."