UK Study finds Muslim Brotherhood membership should be considered possible indicator of extremism.

UK review finds Muslim Brotherhood membership possible indicator of extremism.(ED).

A British government review into Egypt's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood published on Thursday has concluded that membership of or links to the political group should be considered a possible indicator of extremism.

"Parts of the Muslim Brotherhood have a highly ambiguous relationship with violent extremism. Both as an ideology and as a network it has been a rite of passage for some individuals and groups who have gone on to engage in violence and terrorism," Cameron said in a statement accompanying the report.

Although there would be no immediate ban on the group, Mr Cameron said the Government would keep it under review to see if it meets the legal test for proscription as a terrorist organisation.

In a written statement to MPs, Mr Cameron said: "The Muslim Brotherhood comprises both a transnational network, with links in the UK, and national organisations in and outside the Islamic world.

"The movement is deliberately opaque, and habitually secretive."

The Prime Minister said the Brotherhood characterizes Western societies and liberal Muslims as "decadent and immoral" and "it can be seen primarily as a political project".

But he continued: "Parts of the Muslim Brotherhood have a highly ambiguous relationship with violent extremism. Both as an ideology and as a network it has been a rite of passage for some individuals and groups who have gone on to engage in violence and terrorism. "

Although it has stated its opposition to al Qaida, it has "never credibly denounced" the terrorist group's use of the work of Sayyid Qutb, one of the Brotherhood's most important historic figures.

Mr Cameron added that "individuals closely associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK have supported suicide bombing and other attacks in Israel by Hamas", an organisation whose military wing was banned in the UK in 2001.

He said: " Muslim Brotherhood-associated and influenced groups in the UK have at times had a significant influence on national organisations which have claimed to represent Muslim communities (and on that basis have had a dialogue with Government), charities and some mosques.

"But they have also sometimes characterised the UK as fundamentally hostile to Muslim faith and identity; and expressed support for terrorist attacks conducted by Hamas.

"Aspects of the Muslim Brotherhood's ideology and activities therefore run counter to British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, equality and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs."

The Prime Minister said the review's findings " support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism". Read the full story here.