Major Setback For Hopes Of Democratic Reform In Egypt

In the first escalation against the Muslim Brotherhood after the People’s Assembly (legislative) elections and the Brotherhood’s success in winning 88 seats, State security forces have arrested 7 leading young leaders of the Brotherhood, today, Friday, 03 March 2006, in addition to Dr. Rashad el-Bayyoumi, Member of the leading Muslim Brotherhood organ, the Guidance Bureau, and Supervisor of its Student Section.

State security forces, supported by large numbers of central security (anti-riot) troops, stormed the house of Engineer Abdel-Meguid Mashali, member of Mansoura University’s Student Union till 1994 and a then prominent student leader, together with six other leaders of student unions. They include Ahmad Abdel-Gawwad, grandson of the former general guide of the Brotherhood, Mr. Mustafa Mashhour; Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Wahab, professor at Zagazig University; Anas el-Kadi, a student who was arrested in the events in which the security forces killed Mohamed el-Sakka in 2002; Mohamed el-Saieed, a science teacher in Gharbia governorate; el-Sayed el-Showeikhy from Dakahliya governorate; and Atef El-Arian.
Security forces at Alexandria have also arrested Ayman El-Kadi and Marei Saber, both prominent members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Alexandria. It is noteworthy that Ayman El-Kadi is the uncle of Anas el-Kadi who was detained today afternoon. Marei Saber is an in-law of both.
Security forces have also stormed the house of Dr. Rashad El-Bayyoumi, Member of the leading Muslim Brotherhood body, the Guidance Office, and Supervisor of the Brotherhood’s Student Section. This follows the vigorous student activity which Egyptian universities have witnessed this year and the strong student movement against despotism and the bequeathing of power. This movement has also called for the cancellation of the emergency (martial) law and the annulment of the unjust 1979 Students’ Regulation that restricts student activity.

Dr. Rashad el-Bayyoumi is a professor of geology at the Faculty of Science, Cairo University. He was born in 1935, got acquainted with the Muslim Brotherhood during the Palestine war period (1948) and was in charge of the students activity at the university at that time. He was detained in the 1954 repression against the Brotherhood and remained in detention till 1971. He was detained once again in the case judged by a military court, under the emergency law, in 1996 and was acquitted. He was detained again toward the end of 2002 for 4 months following the wide-scale student activity in support of the Palestinian uprising at the time. He was elected as a member of the Guidance Office in 1995 and has since been the supervisor of the Students’ Section.

A Message of Intimidation

Dr. Mohamed Habib, First Deputy of the Brotherhood’s General Guide considers this escalation as a message of intimidation to the Egyptian people who cast their ballots in the elections and stood beside Muslim Brothers, suffering as a result from government repression and brutality. It is also a message to political forces in general so as to stop their political movement. It is further a message to the Brotherhood deputies in parliament so as to mitigate their pressure and tone down their discussions and inquiries against the government.

Who is Dr. Mohammed R. Al-Bayoumy?

Dr. Al-Bayoumy was born on 1935 in Sohag, Upper-Egypt, married, and has one son

Dr. Al-Bayoumy gained his Bachelor of Science of Geology Science on 1951 from Cairo University.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy was imprisoned (politically) since 1954 through 1971.

He obtained his Master Degree on 1977 followed with great accomplishment of his PhD on 1980 under a joint supervision of three Universities from three different countries, (Cairo-Egypt, London-UK, and Ontario-Canada).

Dr. Al-Bayoumy is a member of the American Society on Geology.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy has moved to the United Arab of Emirates and spent five years there while he used to be a supervisor to three PhD candidates’ researches. On the other hand, 12 papers of Geological Nature have been published for Dr. Al-Bayoumy in the United Arab of Emirates.

Ex-interior minister of Egyptian regime, Zaki Badr has interfered to end Dr. Al-Bayoumy delegation after he was promoted to be an Assistant Professor on 1986.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy has returned to Cairo University to supervise 16 PhD plus 12 Master degree candidates.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy became an adjunct Professor on 1992 and a full-time Professor on 1995.

During the war of 1948, Dr. Al-Bayoumy has joined Muslim Brotherhood movement and used to join their activities on the University. However, he was in charge of coordinating the Muslim Brotherhood at the Faculty of Science on 1954 when the Egyptian Regime has started its crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy was elected as a member of the Guidance bureau of the Muslim Brotherhood movement at Cairo, Egypt. In addition, he was detained pending investigation for four and a half months to be court-martialed on 1996 but was released afterwards. Also, he was detained for another two and a half months on 2002.

Dr. Al-Bayoumy is an active member at the Egyptian Society of Geologists and the first undersecretary of the Scientists syndicate since 1991

Dr. Al-Bayoumy traveled and participated several international scientific conferences in Canada, Germany, and other countries.