Egyptian Islamists to stay in custody, govt orders

CAIRO, Jan 30 (Reuters) Egyptian authorities have renewed the detention of a top Muslim Brotherhood official and 15 other Islamists, overruling a court order for their release, the opposition group said today.

The Brotherhood, Egypt's strongest opposition force despite being officially banned, said in a statement the decision was based on powers held by the government under emergency laws that allow police to detain suspects without charge.

The Interior Ministry had no comment.

A Cairo criminal court on Monday ordered the unconditional release of the 16, who include the group's second deputy leader Khairat el-Shatir, finding no reason for police to keep them in custody while an investigation into money laundering charges continued.

''The detention decision...indicates a lack of respect for the rule of law and the judiciary,'' Brotherhood leader Mahdi Akef said in a statement.

''What happened leaves no room for doubt that the (government's) reform call is not truthful, and that the real goal is to maintain repression,'' he said.

Emergency laws have been in place since the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Rights groups and opposition figures say the government uses the law to settle political scores and stifle freedom.

The government says emergency laws are temporary measures needed to combat militancy and they will soon be replaced by a permanent counter-terrorism law.

Shatir, widely believed to be one of the Muslim Brotherhood's key financiers, is the highest ranking Brotherhood official in detention.

He was taken from his home in a Cairo suburb in December shortly after students loyal to the group held a protest in al-Azhar University, wearing militia-style uniforms.

Political analaysts say authorities have capitalised on the protest to intensify a crackdown on the group, which operates openly and controls 88 seats in the 454-strong parliament through Brotherhood members elected as independents.

Reuters SP DB2244