Egyptian police arrest 10 Brotherhood members

CAIRO, Mar 4 (Reuters) Egyptian police today arrested 10 members of the Muslim Brotherhood in dawn raids as part of a crackdown on the country's biggest opposition group, Brotherhood sources said.

They said the 10 were arrested in the Nile Delta province of el-Menoufia and included two pharmacists and a businessman.

Security officials said only nine Islamists were arrested.

The Brotherhood operates openly despite being banned since 1954.

Members running as independents won nearly a fifth of the seats in the lower house of the parliament in 2005 elections, sceond only to ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of President Hosni Mubarak.

Analysts say the authorities feel they have to stop the Brotherhood now before they make more electoral gains that could see them mount a serious threat to Mubarak's rule.

Brotherhood sources said the latest arrests bring to about 310 the number of Islamists in detention from the crackdown, which started in December after students close to the group staged a protest at al-Azhar University wearing black militia-style uniforms.

Those detained include the group's third-in-command, Khairat el-Shatir, who was referred to a military trial last month along with 39 other members on charges of terrorism and money laundering.

Authorities have placed a freeze on the assets of 29 prominent Islamist businessmen, including Shatir.

REUTERS SHB RAI1856