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(Telegraph)– Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood yesterday asserted itself in anti-government protests, blaming America for the unrest because of its support for President Hosni Mubarak.

Esam al-Erian, a senior member of the executive council, said the West’s fears for Egypt’s future were due to America’s “foolish policies”.

“America’s alliances are being exposed, one by one,” he told The Daily Telegraph on Monday. “You can take in the view from Tunisia to Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen and even Palestine to see what has happened.”

Mr Erian was one of 34 Muslim Brotherhood leaders arrested in advance of last Friday’s demonstrations but released when prisons were emptied on Saturday night. He arrived in Tahrir Square on Sunday evening to a hero’s welcome, and told the crowds they would hold fast “however many martyrs there are”.

The Brotherhood, which seeks to rebuild Egypt’s government on Islamic lines and has until this month presented the best-organised opposition to Mr Mubarak, says it does not want to take a leadership position in any interim government. But it has given its backing to attempts to form a government of national unity by Mohammed ElBaradei, the former United Nations nuclear agency head who has become an opposition figurehead.