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 Egypt's public prosecutor on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Muslim Brotherhood supreme guide Mohammed Badie and other top leaders of the movement for allegedly inciting violence that left dozens dead, according to judicial sources.Leading Brotherhood members Mohammed al-Beltagui, Mahmoud Ezzat, and Safwat Hegazi are among those wanted by the prosecution, according to the sources. Badie and other leaders are already wanted for allegedly inciting violence in previous clashes in Cairo. In response, a spokesman of Muslim Brotherhood, Jihad Haddad, denied arresting any of the movement's leaders, saying that "such accusations aim at ending Muslim Brotherhood protest." At least 51 people were killed in clashes Monday outside the Republican Guard headquarters in Cairo where supporters of ousted president Mohammad Mursi were calling for him to be reinstated. | ||||
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Egypt charges 200 over bloodshed, orders arrest of Brotherhood leader
Egypt's chief justice Adly Mansour (L) is congratulated by judges during a ceremony in which he was sworn-in as head of the Constitutional Court, in Cairo on 4 July 2013, before his swearing-in ceremony as Egypt's interim president. (Photo: AFP - Khaled Desouki)
Egypt on Wednesday ordered the arrest of the Muslim Brotherhood's supreme leader Mohammed Badie over violence in Cairo that left dozens dead while charging another 200 people over the bloodshed, judicial sources said.
Badie and other senior Brotherhood leaders are wanted for allegedly inciting the clashes outside the Republican Guard headquarters at dawn on Monday where supporters of ousted president Mohammed Mursi were calling for him to be reinstated.
Morsi is currently being held in a "safe place, for his safety," foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty told reporters on Wednesday, adding: "He is not charged with anything up till now," he said.
His overthrow by the military a week ago, after massive protests calling for his resignation, has pushed Egypt into a vortex of violence that has claimed at least 88 lives, according to Amnesty International.
On Monday, in the worst incident, the Brotherhood claims police and troops "massacred" 42 of their supporters as they performed dawn prayers, with women and children among the dead.
The army said it came under attack by "terrorists".
The public prosecutor on Wednesday charged 200 people held over the bloodshed outside the military barracks, the judicial sources said.
The charges and arrest orders came as interim authorities were to start talks on forming a caretaker cabinet headed by new prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi.
However they face tough hurdles as opponents and supporters of Mursi alike have slammed a temporary charter aimed at steering the divided nation through a difficult transition.
Interim president Adly Mansour has set a timetable for elections by early next year, while appointing Beblawi as premier and Nobel peace laureate Mohammed el-Baradei as vice president responsible for foreign affairs.
Meanwhile, Egypt's interim authorities named a new prosecutor general on Wednesday, completing a contentious legal process that removed the man appointed by deposed President Mohammed Mursi.
Former appeals court judge Hisham Barakat was appointed by Adli Mansour, the interim head of state named by the army, which toppled Mursi last week. He fills a vacancy created when Mursi's appointee Talaat Abdullah was removed by a court last week.
The court initially ordered Abdullah to be replaced by Abdel Meguid Mahmoud, his predecessor from the era of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Abdullah quickly resigned, leaving the post vacant.
Abdullah was one of the figures in Mursi's government most strongly opposed by Mursi's foes, who accused him of harassing journalists and critics of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.
(AFP)
Badie and other senior Brotherhood leaders are wanted for allegedly inciting the clashes outside the Republican Guard headquarters at dawn on Monday where supporters of ousted president Mohammed Mursi were calling for him to be reinstated.
Morsi is currently being held in a "safe place, for his safety," foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty told reporters on Wednesday, adding: "He is not charged with anything up till now," he said.
His overthrow by the military a week ago, after massive protests calling for his resignation, has pushed Egypt into a vortex of violence that has claimed at least 88 lives, according to Amnesty International.
On Monday, in the worst incident, the Brotherhood claims police and troops "massacred" 42 of their supporters as they performed dawn prayers, with women and children among the dead.
The army said it came under attack by "terrorists".
The public prosecutor on Wednesday charged 200 people held over the bloodshed outside the military barracks, the judicial sources said.
The charges and arrest orders came as interim authorities were to start talks on forming a caretaker cabinet headed by new prime minister Hazem al-Beblawi.
However they face tough hurdles as opponents and supporters of Mursi alike have slammed a temporary charter aimed at steering the divided nation through a difficult transition.
Interim president Adly Mansour has set a timetable for elections by early next year, while appointing Beblawi as premier and Nobel peace laureate Mohammed el-Baradei as vice president responsible for foreign affairs.
Meanwhile, Egypt's interim authorities named a new prosecutor general on Wednesday, completing a contentious legal process that removed the man appointed by deposed President Mohammed Mursi.
Former appeals court judge Hisham Barakat was appointed by Adli Mansour, the interim head of state named by the army, which toppled Mursi last week. He fills a vacancy created when Mursi's appointee Talaat Abdullah was removed by a court last week.
The court initially ordered Abdullah to be replaced by Abdel Meguid Mahmoud, his predecessor from the era of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Abdullah quickly resigned, leaving the post vacant.
Abdullah was one of the figures in Mursi's government most strongly opposed by Mursi's foes, who accused him of harassing journalists and critics of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood.
(AFP)