The Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait demanded on Friday local authorities to cease handing over its detained members to Egypt.

The party urged Kuwait to instead to allow the them to “safely depart Kuwait to any other country”.

The statement was issued days after Kuwait handed over to Cairo Khaled al-Mahdi, a member of the youth leadership in the Brotherhood. He has been sentenced to ten years in jail by Egypt for his involvement in violent acts and financing the group.

The Muslim Brotherhood is banned by Egypt and designated as a terrorist organization.

A security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that Brotherhood fugitives wanted by Egypt and residing in Kuwait are handed over to Cairo based on an agreement signed by the two countries.

Mahdi, he revealed, attempted to recruit Egyptian expatriates in Kuwait and to set up electronic militias in the Gulf country in order to attack Egypt.

In a statement on Friday, the Brotherhood acknowledged the existence of its cell in Kuwait.

It was arrested by authorities and its members turned over to Egypt.

The statement said the detainees were members of the Brotherhood and that they had verdicts issued against them by Egypt. Kuwait has the right to determine their fate.

It accused Kuwait of abandoning the policy of neutrality on divisive regional issues, claimed the statement.

Moreover, it alleged that the Brotherhood was an “important part of the Kuwaiti political scene.”