Egypt's Morsi, Brotherhood leaders to be interrogated for 'Jan 25 Revolution crimes'

El-Sayed Gamal Eddin , Saturday 6 Jul 2013

Egypt's prosecutors to interrogate deposed president Mohamed Morsi, along with top Brotherhood figures, over killing of protesters and attacks on prisons during 2011 uprising

Morsi
President Mohamed Morsi (Photo:Reuters)

Egypt's prosecutor-general orders the questioning of deposed president Mohamed Morsi, along with top Brotherhood members on suspicions of a range of crimes during Egypt's 2011 revolution.

A judicial source reveals to Ahram Online that the interrogations will be over charges of inciting violence, murdering police officers, hiring snipers to kill protesters, as well as ‪torching headquarters of the then-ruling National Democratic Party (NDP).

Specifically, the source details some of those that will be interrogated nationwide: the head of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party Saad El-Katatni, deputy head Essam El-Erian and other Brotherhood's top officials.

The Islamist group propelled Morsi to power last year after operating underground for decades until Mubarak was ousted.

Security forces mounted a crackdown against Islamists shortly after the army toppled the country's elected president following nationwide protests demanding his removal that really took off on 30 June.

President Morsi's whereabouts were not immediately announced. His supporters say he has been detained at defence ministry headquarters.

Brotherhood leaders will also be questioned on their alleged role in engineering attacks on police stations and prisons – with the help of members from Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah, Palestinian group Hamas and Sinai Bedouins –  during the 2011 revolution, after which the movement was catapulted into the centre of political stage.

In a roundup of top Islamists, the Brotherhood's second-man, Khairat El-Sahter, was taken into custody late on Friday on charges of inciting violence.

Widely regarded as the group's key political strategist, El-Shater was the latest of the Islamist group's known figures to be apprehended.

FJP leader, Saad El-Katatni and deputy head of the Islamist movement Rashad Bayoumi, were detained a day earlier.

Security forces also shut down three Islamist-led channels, including one owned by the Brotherhood; Egypt 25.

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