Founded in 1928 by religious leader Hassan al Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood advocated the removal of foreign domination and influence of Islamic countries, primarily Egypt. Primarily a para-military organization, the Brotherhood maintained nationwide cells and youth groups which could be brought together rapidly to form a large fighting force.
After the Second World War, the Brotherhood organized attacks on British personnel and property. During the First Arab-Israeli War (1948-49) the Brotherhood was ordered to dissolve, and in retaliation they assassinated Mahmoud Fatimy, the Egyptian premier. Ibrahim Abdul Hadi, the newly installed prime minister, sent thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members to detention camps, and the Brotherhood leader, Hassan el Banna was killed, probably by the government's security branch.
The Brotherhood was involved in the military coup which followed the collapse of the pro-British Wafd government in 1952. After a botched assassination attempt on Colonel Gamal Abdul Nasser in October 1954, the Brotherhood was disbanded.
