(AFP Photo)
The prosecutor’s office issued arrest warrants on Wednesday for Mohamed Badie, the Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, and nine other high-level Islamist leaders, on charges of inciting violence.
The arrest warrants are part of ongoing investigations into the Monday clashes in front of the Republican Guards headquarters that took the lives of at least 51, and wounded over 435 pro-Morsi demonstrators.
Warrants have also been issued for Mohamed Al-Beltagy, the secretary general of the Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Safwat Hegazy, a pro-Morsi television preacher, Essam Al-Erian, vice-president of FJP, Mahmoud Ezzat Ibrahim, the Supreme Guide’s deputy and Assem Abdel Maged, a leader in Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya.
The authorities have detained a total of 206 suspects that are to be held for 15 days pending investigation. On Wednesday, 446 other suspects were released on LE 2,000 bail.
The deadly clashes between the armed forces and pro-Morsi demonstrators have brought about the highest single death toll since the January 25th Revolution. Human rights organisations and politicians, including Vice-President Mohamed ElBaradei, have urged for transparent and independent investigations into the incident.
The prosecutor’s office has been gathering information through autopsies of the casualties and questioning of those injured for a medical report that is to serve as evidence in the case.
Army spokesman Ahmed Ali said in a televised statement on Monday that the clashes started after armed assailants attacked the republican guards and police officers. He added that protesters were incited to perform acts of violence against the armed forces, implicitly placing blame on Brotherhood leaders for inflaming the tension between the two parties.
Brotherhood supporters, however, maintain that the attack on the protesters by the security forces during prayer time at dawn was unprovoked.
Since Monday, 652 have been charged over their involvement and face a range of criminal accusations, including murder, attempted murder, thuggery, carrying unlicensed weapons, obstructing public roads, carrying explosive devices and disrupting public security by terrorist acts.
