Egyptian police arrested 150 activists from the Muslim Brotherhood on Monday in areas where the opposition Islamist group will contest legislative elections this week, a police source said. The officially banned Brotherhood has made a strong showing in four days of voting held so far despite arrests of its activists and the blocking of polling stations in Islamist strongholds.The police source said the arrests were made in areas north of Cairo, including the Nile Delta provinces of Sharkia and Dakahlia, where voting will take place on December 1 and 7. The Brotherhood's Web site said the authorities had "launched a wide arrest campaign" against delegates of its candidates in the final two days of voting. It said 110 had been detained so far.
The Brotherhood has won 76 of parliament's 444 seats so far -- more than five times its strength in the outgoing chamber. The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) has won at least 195 seats. The Brotherhood, whose candidates stand as independents, is only contesting about a third of the seats in parliament. It is fielding 49 seats in the final two days of voting for 136 seats.