Michele Bachmann's claims of an Islamic plot to infiltrate the highest levels of the U.S. government have been met with ridicule by the suspected Muslim Brotherhood perpetrators of the alleged conspiracy. Interviewed by the GlobalPost, Ahmed Al Nahhas, a Muslim Brotherhood activist in Egypt, the birthplace of the organization, said, "I haven't heard these rumors, but they strike me as ridiculous." Another Brotherhood leader, Ibrahim Ali Iraqi, downplayed the global influence of his organization, which is in a struggle for power with Egypt's military rulers. "The Muslim Brotherhood can't even penetrate the Egyptian government," Ali Iraqi told the GlobalPost. Ali Iraqi said he had never heard of Huma Abedin, the American Muslim aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton whom Bachmann cited as an "example" of suspected Muslim Brotherhood "influence operations" within the U.S. Bachmann has expanded on her accusations to include Minnesota Democrat Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, who she claims has longstanding Muslim Brotherhood ties. But since running into a bipartisan firestorm of criticism late last week, the Minnesota Republican has been avoiding reporters and laying low.