The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), a group linked to Hamas and involved in organising pro-Palestine marches across the UK, has been designated a terrorist organisation by Egypt but remains free to operate in Britain.
The MAB was among 35 organisations added to Egypt’s terrorism list this week by the Cairo Criminal Court.
Two prominent MAB figures were also included among the 36 individuals named in the ruling.
However, the Egyptian designation has not resulted in any restrictions being imposed on the group in the UK.
Critics have condemned what they describe as government inaction and called for the organisation’s alleged links to extremism to be reviewed.
As a partner of the left-wing Stop the War Coalition, MAB has played a prominent role in organising more than 30 pro-Palestine demonstrations in London and other UK cities since Hamas terrorists attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
MAB figures Dr Anas Altikriti and Ahmed al-Rawi were also formally designated as terrorists by Egypt.
Dr Altikriti, who served as MAB president from 2004 to 2005 and is listed as a director of the organisation, described reports of the murder and rape of Israeli civilians on October 7 as “a lie”. He also said the taking of hostages was “a very important part” of any “act of resistance”.
The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), part of a coalition involved in pro-Palestine marches across the UK since October 7, 2023, has been designated a terrorist organisation in Egypt
Dr Anas Altikriti, a senior MAB figure, was included on Egypt’s list of designated individuals
Ahmed al-Rawi, a senior MAB figure also designated as a terrorist by Egypt, previously said British troops stationed in Iraq were legitimate targets for militants
Al-Rawi, meanwhile, said British troops stationed in Iraq in 2004 were legitimate targets for Iraqi militants, describing resistance to the British as “the right of the civilians”.
MAB was co-founded in 1997 by former Hamas leader Muhammad Kathem Sawalha. It was also among the organisations that helped organise a pro-Palestine march in London on Armistice Day in 2023, five weeks after the October 7 massacre.
Critics condemned the demonstration over the anti-Semitic placards displayed by some protesters and its timing, which coincided with the national day of remembrance.
Suella Braverman, who was Home Secretary at the time, called the march “deeply troubling” because of the “sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards and paraphernalia” displayed publicly.
In 2023, MAB co-founder Sawalha was reported to be living in a two-storey council property in London, which he had purchased mortgage-free after receiving a £112,000 Right to Buy discount from its market value.
Despite his activities and alleged links to Hamas, Sawalha was granted a British passport in the early 2000s and became a council tenant in north London in 2003.
Al-Rawi, an Iraqi-born British passport holder who has now been designated by Egypt, was among 93 scholars who signed a “bayyan”, or declaration, in 2004 backing uprisings by Iraqi and Palestinian militants against occupation.
In defending the declaration, al-Rawi compared British and US forces in Iraq with the Nazi occupation of France in 1940.
He said: “If they, the British, attack, it’s the right of the civilians to resist the British. Any people who are occupied have the right to resist. I prefer it to be peaceful, but if they choose to resist by other means, it’s their choice.”
Al-Rawi added: “My opinion on the occupation is that it is illegal. I couldn’t call the resistance, even military resistance to the occupation, criminal.”
MAB has also faced criticism over its former vice-president Mohammed Kozbar, who praised Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as “the master of the martyrs of the resistance” during a 2015 visit to his grave.
Kozbar had been appointed as an adviser to the Metropolitan Police as part of its community-engagement work in London, but was removed from the role in February 2024.
Scotland Yard said in a statement that it had decided to “cease engagement” after reviewing a social media post from late January 2024 that had been brought to its attention.
Another MAB figure, Azzam Tamimi, a former senior member and spokesman, has previously described himself as a Hamas sympathiser.
MAB was co-founded in 1997 by former Hamas leader Muhammad Kathem Sawalha
Following the 7/7 bombings in 2005, Tamimi argued that Palestinian suicide bombings were different from terrorist attacks in Britain.
“The bombings were wrong in London, were wrong in Madrid, but it is a completely different situation in Palestine,” Tamimi said in an interview with the BBC. “Thousands of ordinary Palestinians are rotting in refugee camps and reacting to oppression.”
Egypt’s ruling also designated the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), an organisation established by the Muslim Brotherhood, of which MAB is a founding member.
The Egyptian court placed the Muslim Brotherhood on its permanent terrorism list a day earlier.
MAB and the Cordoba Foundation, founded by Dr Altikriti, were designated terrorist organisations by the UAE in 2014.
In March 2024, then-Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove named MAB in Parliament as the Government introduced its new definition of extremism.
Mr Gove told the Commons: “Organisations such as the Muslim Association of Britain, which is the British affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, give rise to concern because of their Islamist orientation and views.
“We will be holding these and other organisations to account to assess whether they meet our definition of extremism and will take action as appropriate.”
He added: “The pervasiveness of extremist ideologies has become increasingly clear in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks and poses a real risk to the security of our citizens and our democracy.
“This is the work of extreme Right-wing and Islamist extremists who are seeking to separate Muslims from the rest of society and create division within Muslim communities.
“They seek to radicalise individuals, deny people their full rights, suppress freedom of expression, incite hatred and undermine our democratic institutions.”
MAB has previously denied any association with the Muslim Brotherhood.
However, a UK Government review of the Muslim Brotherhood published in 2015 found that both MAB and the Cordoba Foundation were associated with the organisation.
Critics have said it is “unacceptable” that the Government has not reviewed MAB following its designation as a terrorist organisation by Egyptian authorities.
Alex Hearn, co-director of Labour Against Antisemitism, told Our News Outlet: “It is high time the Government took firmer action against the Muslim Association of Britain and seriously considered designation, particularly now that countries in the Middle East have taken this step.
“MAB is an organisation founded by a former Hamas chief, whose members have praised the October 7 slaughter of families in Israel.
“The Government’s silence and inaction on this issue are unacceptable.”
Peter Clarke, the former head of Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Egypt’s decision to designate the Muslim Association of Britain will not go unnoticed.
“UK intelligence services will be examining closely the evidence that led authorities in Cairo to take action.
“MAB is now more likely to be firmly on the radar of our security agencies. If appropriate, we must hope that action will follow.”
Our News Outlet has contacted MAB and the Home Office for comment.
