The Hasm movement, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, distanced itself from the party in what observers said was a predictable move given the Brotherhood’s waning influence.
Hasm spokesman Khaled Seifeddine denied to the Klmtuhaq magazine that the movement was seeking to return to the Egyptian political scene.
He acknowledged that the Brotherhood had failed in Egypt, saying that it had also failed to connect with the Egyptian people.
He then added that Hasm was not affiliated with the Brotherhood.
Experts in extremist parties refuted the claim, however, telling Asharq Al-Awsat that Hasm had emerged from the Brotherhood.
Moreover, Hasm members had confessed during investigations with Egypt’s judiciary that they had received weapons and explosives training from the Brotherhood.
Hasm was a product of Muslim Brotherhood youths and first emerged after the Rabiah al-Adawiya sit-ins were dispersed in 2013.
Twitter had in October 2017 shut the Hasm’s account for inciting hatred and violence.
Political Islam parties expert Ahmed Ban said that Hasm came to the scene after the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
It tried to portray itself as a liberal party, but had in fact carried out attacks in the country against security forces. It also attempted to assassinate assistant general prosecutor Zakaria Abdulaziz and Egypt’s former mufti.
Britain had designated Hasm as a terrorist group in 2016 and the United States did the same in 2017.
