Here’s what they have to say:
“Statement from the Muslim Brotherhood on the assassination of Sheikh Osama Bin Laden”
The whole world has lived and Muslims specifically suffer from a fierce media campaign to label Islam as terrorism and to describe Muslims as violent because of the connection of the events of 11th September with the Al Qaeda organization.
Today the US president announced that special forces from the US Marines succeeded in the assassination of Sheikh Osama Bin Laden, a wife and one of his sons [also means children], along with a number of his companions [so now] we find ourselves in front of a new situation.
The Muslim Brotherhood announce that they are against the use of violence in general, that they are against the methods [i.e. the use of] assassination, and that they are for the fair trial of anybody accused of committing any crime – whatever it is.
The Muslim Brotherhood demands the world (in general) and the Western World, as people and governments (specifically) to stop linking Islam with terrorism and to deliberately rectify the erroneous picture which has been promoted for a number of years.
The Muslim Brotherhood confirms that the legitimate resistance against the foreign occupation of any country is a legitimate right guaranteed by Divine Law and the International Treaties. And that shuffling the deck [i.e. not distinguishing / blurring] between the legitimate resistance and violence against innocent people was the very aim of the Zionist Enemy.
As long as the occupation remains the legitimate resistance will remain. [So] America, the NATO alliance and the European Union must quickly announce the end of the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the recognition of the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights,
The Muslim Brotherhood demands that the United States desists from using intelligence operations against its transgressors [lit: those who violate it] and to desist from interfering in the internal affairs of any Arab or Muslim country.
Muslim Brotherhood Cairo 29th Jamadi the First 1432H – 2 May 2011M
(Thanks to Dave M)
So what do we have?
1. A complaint about the “media” linking Islam to terrorism.
2. Opposition to the killing of OBL, ostensibly on the basis that the MB is opposed to the use of violence.
3. A complaint about “governments” linking Islam to terrorism.
4. Despite the disavowal of violence, an affirmation of ‘resistance’: specifically naming Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine.
5. A demand to an end of US “intelligence operations” and interference in Arab/Muslim internal affairs.
This is the reaction of the political party that we are told is moderate, conserative, and – in the words of Director of National Intelligence James Clapper – “largely secular“. The Muslim Brotherhood, let us not forget, is also supposed to be a bulwark against Al Qaeda.
So much of a bulwark that, in response to the death of Bin Laden, it puts out a statement supporting his political goals.