The Muslim Brotherhood organization is supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to various Egyptian sources. These accusations have gained weight in recent days, after senior officials in the organization condemned a new book called Islamic State…The Knife Slaughtering Islam, which is due to be published in Cairo in the near future. The book deals with the preaching of extremist organizations in favor of terrorist activities. “The Muslim Brotherhood defends ISIS fiercely and attacks its critics,” reported Al-Arab (Arabic link) newspaper.

Egyptian security officials announced (Arabic video link) a few weeks ago that they found documents linking Muslim Brotherhood activists to ISIS. However, the organization denied any connection.

In Jordan too, there are indications of the solidarity the local Muslim Brotherhood branch has for ISIS. Senior official in the Islamic Action Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, called (Arabic link) for support of ISIS and condemned the Western air strikes in Syria and Iraq.

Analysts think this is an indirect call to young Jordanians to join the ranks of the extremist organization. In an interview to Al-Arab (Arabic link), expert in Islamic movements in Jordan Hassan Abu Haniya predicted:

“In the coming days, many activists from several countries, including Jordan, will join the ranks of the Islamic State (ISIS).”

Like ISIS, The Muslim Brotherhood is a Sunni organization. The support of the Muslim Brotherhood possibly stems from the Brotherhood’s anger over the focus of the West and the Arab World on ISIS, while Shiite militias in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon continue to act without impunity.

[Photo: Diariocritico de Venezuela / flickr]