at overthrowing the British. These movements were inspired by the success (but not the ideologies) of Leninism and the Russian Revolution. One of these groups was known as the Wafd. The Wafd was led by Saad Zaghloul, a strong proponent of Egyptian nationalism. In 1928, a schoolteacher from Ismailia named Hassan Al-Banna founded the Moslem Brotherhood which, like the Wafd, was committed to overthrowing British rule in Egypt. However, in contrast to the Wafd, the Moslem Brotherhood was focused more on ideas of Islamic fundamentalism rather than those of Egyptian nationalism. Thus, in addition to seeking Egypt's independence from Britain, the Brotherhood wanted to replace British rule with an Islamic-based government. In this regard, the Moslem Brotherhood called for a return to the Sharia, or traditional Islamic law. This idea made the Brotherhood extremely popular among the Moslem population of Egypt, because it was felt that the strict laws of Islamic fundamentalism would help to control crime in the country.
From the start, the Moslem Brotherhood was associated with the use of violence and warfare tactics in its efforts to achieve its goals. In 1948, the Brotherhood sided with other Arabs in the region who were opposed to the establishment of the Isr'li state. Many members of the Brotherhood fought against the Isr'lis at that time, thereby giving the organization a "fearsome reputation in Isr'l and among the new nation's supporters." During that time, the Moslem Brotherhood also used terrorism against King Farouk and the British government. In 1948, Egypt's Prime Minister Noqrashi Pasha tried to abolish the Moslem Brotherhood. Soon thereafter, Noqrashi was assassinated, and the blame for the killing was placed on the members of Al-Banna's organization. Early in 1949, Al-Banna was himself assassinated, "probably by King Farouk's counter-terrorist forces."
In 1952, Egyptian nationalist forces finally succeede...