Morsi charged with murder, Egypt on boil
27 July Times of India
Egypt’s prosecutors have formally charged ousted President Mohammed
Morsi with an array of charges which include murder and conspiracy with
the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The accusations are connected to a prison break during the 2011
uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak in which gunmen attacked a
prison northwest of Cairo, freeing prisoners including Morsi and around
30 other figures from his Muslim Brotherhood. The prosecutors allege
Morsi and the Brotherhood worked with Hamas to carry out the break, in
which 14 guards were killed.
The Brotherhood has denied the charges, calling them politically
motivated. On Friday, a spokesman for Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood said
the move to prosecute Morsi showed “the complete bankruptcy of the
leaders of the bloody coup.”The announcement, which is likely to pave
the way to a formal indictment, was the first word on Morsi’s legal
status since the military deposed him on July 3.
This development stoked emotions on a day which Egypt’s army chief
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for mass rallies to give the military a
mandate to tackle the “violence and terrorism”. Responding to the call
by Sisi, thousands poured into the streets in numerous Egyptian cities
to show their support or the lack of it. Several people were injured in
clashes between opponents and supporters of Morsi in Shubra, is one of
the largest districts of Cairo. Mostafa Sobhy, a member in Al-Dostour
Party, founded by Nobel Peace laureate Mohammad ElBaradei, who is a
Shubra resident said, “For some reason, pro-Morsi protesters keep coming
back to Shubra. Today they march and tried to get into the Al-Khazander
mosque.” Pro-Morsi demonstrators marched from Shubra to Rabaa Al-Adaweya
square in Nasr City, where the Muslim Brotherhood has been staging a
three-week long sit-in.
Crowds started building-up in Tahrir Square, the bastion of
anti-Morsi protests, on Friday morning. ‘’The people, the source of all
power, mandate the army and police to purge terrorism,’’ read a giant
banner stretched across one entrance to Tahrir which was right next to
Sisi’s smiling posters proclaiming “the love of the people”. Army
helicopters buzzed low over them to show their support and three tanks
guarded the entrance.
Reports from other cities claimed that demonstrators were pelting
stones from rooftops. Till now 15 people have been injured. Seven
protesters were also reported hurt during clashes in the Nile delta city
of Damietta.
It remains unclear what steps the military is planning after Friday’s
show of public strength. The most explosive step would be if it were to
try to break up sit-ins by Islamists who have been camped out at in
Cairo and other cities for weeks. The military could also move to arrest
Brotherhood figures who have arrest warrants against them. Or it could
take firmer action to stop any sign of violence.There is likelihood of
more violence. Seems like turmoil in Egypt is far from over.
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