By Louisa Loveluck, Cairo

The Muslim Brotherhood has warned it will take the British Government to court if it seeks to restrict the movement’s activities in London.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the Brotherhood’s London headquarters are under scrutiny from the British intelligence services, who are cooperating with a Whitehall probe into the group’s alleged links to terrorism in Egypt.

“Whilst the Muslim Brotherhood is prepared to engage with the British Government’s review… [it] will challenge, through the British courts, any improper attempt to restrict its activity,” the group said in an emailed statement to reporters on Wednesday night.

Fleeing an aggressive crackdown at home, senior Brotherhood figures have established a firm presence in London, Doha, and Istanbul since July, when former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi was overthrown in a military coup.

With the help of London-based law firm ITN Solicitors, the group must now respond to accusations that it has planned terror attacks in Egypt from its British base – since Mr Morsi’s overthrow, militant attacks across Egypt have claimed the lives of more than 400 security personnel, according to figures from the country’s foreign ministry.

Despite its public pronouncements linking the Brotherhood to similar attacks, Egypt’s army-backed authorities have failed to produce public evidence to support such claims.

While it is unsurprising that the group’s activities are being monitored in London, the fact that the investigation by the British was made public has been interpreted by many as a political act – the British Government holds dear its business and security partnership with Saudi Arabia.

The Gulf state has has replaced the US as the chief benefactor of Egypt’s new military-backed authorities, and encouraged regional allies to turn against the Brotherhood, which it sees as both an ideological and security threat.

More here. H/T: EDL Buck