Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Egyptian Court Bans Muslim Brotherhood

CAIRO — An Egyptian court on Monday banned the Muslim Brotherhood and its vast social services network in what could be a devastating blow to the Islamist organization, which swept Mohamed Morsi to the presidency just last year and has fiercely resisted the military coup that ousted him in July.

The far-reaching ruling appears to apply to any group remotely associated with the world’s oldest Islamist movement, granting temporary legal cover to the military-backed government of Gen. Abdel Fatah al-Sissi to broaden a crackdown that has already left the Brotherhood battered.

Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters have been killed and thousands have been arrested, including Morsi and other top leaders. Authorities have lately reached inside mosques to bar thousands of Islamist-leaning preachers.

The ban covers “all the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood organization, the groups emerging from it, its associations, and any institution that branches from it or follows the group or receives financial support from it,” according to Egypt’s state media outlet, MENA, which offered the only account of a ruling that has not been made public.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday that U.S. officials are seeking further details about the ruling, and she urged all parties to “avoid steps that would undermine” an inclusive political process.

Monday’s ruling is likely to fuel the anger that has begun to erupt in the form of attacks on police and security forces in Egypt’s eastern Sinai region, in its Nile Delta towns and in the heart of Cairo, where a suicide bomber early this month targeted the country’s interior minister, who escaped unhurt.

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- Unknown Updated at: Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Egypt officials defend crackdown on pro-Morsi camps : International Desk

Egypt's interim PM Hazem Beblawi has defended the deadly operation to break up protest camps in Cairo, saying the authorities had to restore security.

Mr Beblawi said it was not an easy decision to disperse the supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi.

The government, which has declared a state of emergency, said 235 civilians had been killed nationwide.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which backed the protests, says more than 2,000 people have died in the violence.

Correspondents in Cairo also report seeing many dead, but figures differ widely and have been impossible to verify independently.

Police have now taken control of the camps in the capital and are reported to have arrested key Brotherhood leaders.

Police 'professional'

In a televised address, Mr Beblawi expressed regret for the loss of life and said the state of national emergency would be lifted as soon as possible.

The measure, scheduled to last for a month, imposes a curfew in Cairo and several other provinces between 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT) and 06:00.

Mr Beblawi also said police had been given instructions not to use weapons to disperse protesters.

Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim said the police had "dealt professionally" with the protesters, and that 43 police personnel had been killed in violence across the country.

He accused the pro-Morsi protesters of building "fortifications" and "firing birdshot" at the police forces.

The protest sites had been infiltrated by armed gangs, he said, and ammunition had been seized from them.

Across the country, members of the Muslim Brotherhood had been arrested and were being interrogated, Mr Ibrahim said.

In the wake of the violence, Vice-President Mohammed ElBaradei has announced his resignation from the interim government.