Khairat al-Shater, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, revealed the details of the visits of foreign officials, including UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, to his prison after the military coup in Egypt in July 2013.
Al-Shater reported in the last session of the re-trial of a number of Muslim Brotherhood leaders on charges of communicating with Hamas, his first talk since his arrest more than six years ago.
Al-Shater has been sued by the court and all defendants in the case, including late President Mohamed Morsi, who died in court the same case a month ago.
The deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood spoke of the visit of UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns and EU Representative Bernardino Leon to his prison, days after he was arrested and allowed to meet with his family.
Shater said: "I was surprised by the prison governor summoned me at 12 pm to find the UAE Foreign Minister and Assistant Secretary of State ask me to accept the fait accompli for the release of the Muslim Brotherhood."
Al-Shater asked: "Why is this visit with the permission of the Public Prosecutor's Office and in Mahbasi if any meeting is going on, and why is the sword of accusations against us what was acceptable yesterday and why is the political rivalry turning to fabrication of accusations and crimes against us?"
"All the accusations against the group, its leaders and its members were invented after the rivalry," said the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Al-Shater said that the testimony of former Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdy against the defendants in the case before the January 2011 revolution contradicts his personal release after the revolution. "He called the prison director and asked to call me to tell me that he had issued an executive order to evacuate Sabili, .
Al-Shater questioned the investigations that did not prevent the former Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman from meeting the Muslim Brotherhood as a political force during the January 25 revolution, pointing out that the former defense minister and the head of the military council, Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Re-mind them.
"I was contacted by the intelligence services under President Morsi and asked me to talk to Mr. Ismail Haniyeh (head of the Hamas political bureau) about the crossings, so I told them in what capacity I was talking to him," he said. As a well-known Islamic figure, and confirmed that this is in the interest of Egyptian national security, I told them that this is the role of the presidency and not my role .. Then I was surprised after that this is a proof against me, how then accused of communication and whether this demand is required from the intelligence ?!
The deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood concluded his argument by saying: "We have been saved for this country never have been engaged or conspired."
The court postponed the verdict in the retrial of Shater and a number of Brotherhood leaders on charges of communicating with the Palestinian Hamas movement, to the session of August 28 next.