EGYPT’S SECURITY FORCES ARREST SENIOR MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD LEADER EL-BELTAGY

Cairo, 22 Shawwal 1434/30 August 2013 (MINA) – Security Officer arrested senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed El-Beltagy Thursday(29/8) in Giza governorate.

Police observed El Beltagy for two days before his arrest in the rural area of Abo El-Namras in Giza, Ahram reported as quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).

El-Beltagy’s daughter, Asmaa, 17, shot by the sniper during police’s forcibly dispersal against sit-in pro morsi protester 14 August.

On Wednesday, El-Beltagy appeared on Al-Jazeera channel in a pre-recorded video reiterating his condemnation of military coup.

In the video, he said that the Egyptian authorities have no evidence that the Brotherhood have engaged in any terrorist acts, and he urged detained members of the Brotherhood not to answer questions by investigators as authorities lack legitimacy.

El-Beltagy is known for stating that if ousted President Mohamed Morsi returns to office, militant attacks in Sinai Peninsula, ongoing since Morsi’s ouster on 3 July, will stop, a statement that government officials point to as proof that the group is supporting terrorism.

The prosecution had previously charged El-Beltagy with a number of offences, including attempted murder and forming a “terrorist gang” at the pro-Morsi Rabaa Al-Adawiya protest camp.

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El-Beltagy is scheduled to be investigated in connection both with violence in early August at the Republican Guards headquarters in which 51 pro-Morsi protesters were killed, and a separate incident in which police clashed with Rabaa Al-Adawiya protestors.

State news agency MENA also reported that ex-minister of manpower Khaled El-Azhary and Brotherhood senior figure Gamal El-Ashry were arrested with El-Beltagy. (T/P03/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)