Cairo - The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group, accused the United States and Israel of colluding with the Egyptian government in fixing the 2005 elections, in remarks published Saturday.

Mohammed Mahdi Akef, the Supreme Guide of the group, told the independent daily al-Masry al-Youm that the Brotherhood had struck a deal with "a senior official," whom he did not name, to release senior members of the group so they could run in the 2005 parliamentary elections.

The Muslim Brotherhood has been banned in Egypt since 1954, but in 2005, members, running as independents, won 88 out of 454 seats in Egypt's lower house of parliament.

Akef said the official had told him that after the group's strong performance in the first two rounds of voting, former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had called former US President George W Bush to express his concerns about the possibility of a strong Brotherhood showing in parliament, and that Bush had conveyed both their concerns to President Hosny Mubarak.

"In 2005, there were talks of a visit by Mubarak to the United States," Akef told al-Masry al-Youm. "A senior official visited me and said, 'Please don't make any disturbances during that visit.'"

"We met twice and agreed on many things, and I kept the promises I made with the security services," he said.

"The Brotherhood candidates started preparing, and all those imprisoned were released," the 81-year-old opposition leader said.

"I was surprised with the victory in the first and second rounds," he said. "But someone told me that Sharon called Bush, who in return called Mubarak, and they told me not one (of our candidates) will win in the third round, although we were expecting at least 50 more seats," said Akef.

Akef's interview came after he and other Brotherhood leaders disputed reports that he had resigned over a conflict over who should replace Mohammed Hillal on the group's executive council, following Hillal's death last month.

The disputes have come as the country gears up for parliamentary elections scheduled for 2010.

Asked about the group's plans for those elections, Akef told al- Masry al-Youm, "I don't know."

"I said 100 times before, I cannot decide so important a matter as the elections," he said. "I ask all other members, and let them make the decision."

Akef, the Brotherhood's seventh supreme guide since it was founded in 1928, has been the leader of the group since 2004. His term will end in January. If he steps down in January, he would be the first leader of the group to leave office while still alive. (dpa)