Relationship To The Muslim Brotherhood
Osman was known to have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, although he was never a member. Hassan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood from the same town Osman grew up in Ismailia. Al-Banna was an Arabic teacher in the town, and Osman was one of his students. In his autobiography, Osman declares that he was a member of the Brotherhood "in spirit" only; he believed in many of the founding principles, but his devotion to his work and his company kept him from being an actual member. However, he condemns the "jihaz al sirri" (the "secret apparatus"), an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood that would later give rise to violent offshoots. Osman proclaims that youths who channel their frustration towards violence are "wasting their lives".
Osman hired several members of the Muslim Brotherhood in key positions in his company, often in his overseas offices. In several situations, he hired members who had been jailed and released, or had fled the country to avoid suffering that fate. This practice was a source of conflict between Osman and the government. He claims to have been regularly harassed for this reason. He was once detained for 24 hours and questioned about "whether or not he was a member" of the Brotherhood.
Read more about this topic: Osman Ahmed Osman
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