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The Syrian Islamic Brotherhood had existed since about 1937. It was banned from participating in political life by Syrian President Adib Shishakli in the early 1950s (MB then was known as the  Islamic Socialist Front). Not until the seizure of power by the secular [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'ath party]] in 1963 did it form into an opposition group.  In February 1964 the Brotherhood instigated riots against Ba'ath party rule in the [[Islamist]] stronghold of Hama which were suppressed by the army.

The Syrian Islamic Brotherhood had existed since about 1937. It was banned from participating in political life by Syrian President Adib Shishakli in the early 1950s (MB then was known as the  Islamic Socialist Front). Not until the seizure of power by the secular [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'ath party]] in 1963 did it form into an opposition group.  In February 1964 the Brotherhood instigated riots against Ba'ath party rule in the [[Islamist]] stronghold of Hama which were suppressed by the army.

Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran the Brotherhood developed a plan to trigger a similar popular revolt to oust Ba'athist dictator Hafez al-Assad (father of [[Bashar al-Assad]]).  Beginning in 1979 the Brotherhood forged links with Syrian Ba'athist dissidents and the Iraqi Ba'athist President [[Saddam Hussein]] for help in overthrowing Assad. The Iraqi regime provided covert assistance to the Brotherhood rebels in Aleppo, Damascus, and  Hama. Saddam Hussein's government accused the Assad regime of [[human rights]] violations against the Muslim Brotherhood. According to Wikipedia, after the uprising was brutally crushed in the {{wpl|1982 Hama Massacre}} one faction "for several years retained a military structure in [[Iraq]], with backing from the [Iraqi] government."

Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran the Brotherhood developed a plan to trigger a similar popular revolt to oust Ba'athist dictator Hafez al-Assad (father of [[Bashar al-Assad]]).  Beginning in 1979 the Brotherhood forged links with Syrian Ba'athist dissidents and the Iraqi Ba'athist President [[Saddam Hussein]] for help in overthrowing Assad. The Iraqi regime provided covert assistance to the Brotherhood rebels in Aleppo, Damascus, and  Hama. Saddam Hussein's government accused the Assad regime of [[human rights]] violations against the Muslim Brotherhood. According to Wikipedia, after the uprising was brutally crushed in the 1982 Hama Massacre one faction "for several years retained a military structure in [[Iraq]], with backing from the [Iraqi] government."

The Muslim Brotherhood was later vilified by the Salafi theorist Abu Musab al-Suri in his 1991 treatise, ''Notes on the Jihadi experience in Syria''. Among the Brotherhood's "crimes" was its "alliance with parties of [[infidel]]ity, [[freethought|freethinking]] (''zandaqa''), and [[apostasy]]".<ref>[http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA458486 Jihadi After Action Report: Syria], by Stephen Ulph, William McCants editor. The Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, West Point, p.6.</ref>

The Muslim Brotherhood was later vilified by the Salafi theorist Abu Musab al-Suri in his 1991 treatise, ''Notes on the Jihadi experience in Syria''. Among the Brotherhood's "crimes" was its "alliance with parties of [[infidel]]ity, [[freethought|freethinking]] (''zandaqa''), and [[apostasy]]".<ref>[http://www.dtic.mil/get-tr-doc/pdf?AD=ADA458486 Jihadi After Action Report: Syria], by Stephen Ulph, William McCants editor. The Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, West Point, p.6.</ref>