The Egyptian coup has effectively criminalized non-violent political Islam.
The Muslim Brothers years ago took a decision to follow the path of non-violent politics, as opposed to jihad.
The Muslim Brothers participated in the democratic electoral process, winning in every election so far.
The Muslim Brothers attempted to consolidate power in the democratic political system. (Shocking, I know.)
The Muslim Brothers had some authoritarian tendencies and failed to be able to govern effectively.
They have now been removed by a military coup with popular support. The elected president is now a prisoner. Some Muslim Brotherhood leaders have been arrested; there are arrest warrants out for hundreds more. Media outlets that provided them a voice have been not censored, but shut down, by the military.
The Muslim Brotherhood president has now been replaced by a Mubarek crony. The organs of the Mubarek regime, known as "the deep state"--the army, the police, the Interior Ministry, the judiciary--are now in control and are hunting down their long-time foes, the Muslim Brotherhood.
What lessons will the Muslim Brotherhood learn from this experience?
I would submit that many of the Brothers are going to conclude that their more radicalized fellow Islamists are correct, that they don't need to go to Syria to fight holy war, and that jihad begins at home.
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