Sydney's Egyptian community has revealed that the Muslim Brotherhood movement behind now ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi has opened an office in the western suburbs.
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The office is believed to be the first in the southern hemisphere and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission records show it has been open for business in Padstow since it was registered in the association name, Moslem Brothers Incorporated, nearly two years ago.
Supporters of the Brotherhood are expected to join a rally in the city on Sunday to protest against the military crackdown in Egypt.
An impromptu protest earlier this week in response to the news of the unfolding violence attracted almost 300 people onto the streets of Lakemba.
A spokesman for the Islamic Egyptian Society of NSW, Hossam Ibrahim, said there have been protests held every weekend for the past five weeks attracting up to 250 people.
‘‘After what has happened in the past few days, we are expecting the numbers to be much larger,’’ said Mr Ibrahim.
Mr Ibrahim said they are also expecting to be joined by members of other communities.
Mr Ibrahim said although they had been expecting something to happen in Egypt, violence was ‘‘not the right way’’ to deal with the situation and it was not helpful for the future of the country.
Details of the Australian group emerged after claims that the Brotherhood had ''sleeper cells'' in Australia that remained hidden and only became activated when asked to do something.
But the group said it is not hidden and has ''nothing to hide or to be ashamed of''.
Moslem Brothers chairman Shawky Elghar said: ''We are operating openly in Egypt under the Egyptian law and in Australia under Australian law. We protest for human rights and against the violence and the right of the Egyptian people to elect their government, their constitution and their president.''
Lakemba Imam, Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly, who is in Egypt as part of a government reconciliation committee, announced he had quit his position saying the military and police had ‘‘...dragged Egypt into a very dark, dangerous and bloodied tunnel’’.
A spokesman for the Australian Coptic Movement (ACM), told Fairfax Media they ‘‘were unable to find works to explain our great sorrow at the the events’’ in Egypt.
But he said there was also deep distress at the attacks on the minority group of Coptic Christians in Egypt and their churches. He said the ACM was calling on the Australian Government to condemn the incitement and violence against Coptic Christians in Egypt.
