Egyptian court orders release of Muslim Brotherhood figures

Cairo (Earth Times - dpa) - The Cairo Criminal Court ordered the release Sunday of several people who were being held on allegations that they were members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Gamal Heshmat, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood's leadership, the Shura Council, was to be set free, the court said, along with members of the group's administrative office, Al Masry Al Youm newspaper said on its Website.

Security forces also released Ashraf Abdel Ghaffar, a member of local medical syndicate, along with businessmen Khalid el-Beltagi and Ahmed Ali Abbas. They had been arrested by the Egyptian authorities for alleged involvement in the Muslim Brotherhood's international wing.

Egypt's largest opposition group, the brotherhood achieved a historic victory in the 2005 legislative elections, winning around 20 per cent of the seats in the People's Assembly, with their candidates running as independents.

The group has been banned in Egypt since 1954, and its members are routinely detained.