Cairo: The Muslim Brotherhood lawmakers in Egypt rejected a bill submitted by the Justice Ministry to amend the penal code, saying that it was a trap and the move seemed politically motivated.
The amendment calls for punishing with harsh jail sentence whoever receives funds from abroad to finance terrorist crimes.
The MPs, during a meeting of the Parliament`s Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, said the bill seems like a trap to the Muslim Brotherhood, especially if ex-Mubarak premier Ahmad Shafiq becomes President.
Independent MP Mamdouh Ismail said the new article is politically motivated, saying "why the Justice Ministry is in hurry to pass this amendment while there are many laws that need to be revamped to bring back usurped Egyptian funds?".
MP Mohammed Khalifa called for finding another alternative to the bill, warning that failing to find another solution would give a free rein to foreign financing. "Egypt is facing a plot to divide the country and create chaos and so a legislation is much needed to curb foreign funding," he said. PTI