Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says it rejects violence

Group says it is willing to hand over members to authorities for questioning over a recent assault on activists and reporters

21 March 2013, 3:29 pm

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An Egyptian protester chants anti-Muslim Brotherhood and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi slogans outside the presidential palace under a banner with a defaced picture of president Mohammed Morsi and Arabic that reads 'the people want to bring down the regime,' in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

CAIRO (AP) — A senior Muslim Brotherhood leader says the group is prepared, if asked, to hand over to authorities members for questioning over a recent assault on activists and reporters.

Mahmoud Hussein, addressing a Thursday news conference, says the Brotherhood, from which President Mohammed Morsi hails, rejects violence and will hold its members accountable if found guilty of the assault.

In the incident last weekend, Brotherhood members beat protesters spray-painting graffiti outside the group’s headquarters.

Hussein refused to apologize for the assault, saying the Brotherhood will only do that if the courts find its members guilty of assault. He said the building’s guards were provoked by the protesters.

Activists plan a protest Friday outside the Brotherhood headquarters over the assault.