Egyptian police have arrested 31 members of the banned opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, in the Mediterranean city of Marsa Matruh.

Police said the men were distributing leaflets and books for the group.

But a Brotherhood spokesman said those detained were holidaymakers from Alexandria and were not recruiting.

Hundreds of the group's members have been detained in recent weeks after demonstrations in support of reformist judges demanding judicial independence.

The Muslim Brotherhood fielded candidates as independents in last year's parliamentary elections and won 20% of the seats in the People's Assembly, becoming Egypt's largest opposition bloc.

Photo Caption

Protesters supporting the judges and riot police – 27 April 2006