(Photo by Ahmed Al Malky/ File)
The Cairo Court for Urgent Matters postponed on Sunday its ruling on the case regarding the dissolution of the Ultras “connections” and designating them a “terrorist group” to 27 September, a member of the group confirmed.
Chairman of the Zamalek sports club Mortada Mansour called on the court to dissolve the group and designate them a terrorist organisation.
Mansour accused the group of creating chaos, raiding the club and attempting to assassinate him.
A high-ranking member of the Ultras White Knights group, which is comprised of Zamalek football fans, told Daily News Egypt that the group was “watching” to see what will happen.
“Who are these connections?” he said, adding that the Ultras group is not “a legally registered group that can easily be dissolved”.
On 17 August, Mansour claimed members of the group attempted to assassinate him outside the Zamalek club. He told local sports website FilGoal he was forced to “duck from the gunfire” as he was leaving the club that day. He also claimed the two people accompanying him were shot.
The Ultras group has questioned the validity of Mansour’s claims on the assassination attempt. They have often suggested that Mansour works to serve the current regime.
Security forces arrested seven Ultras members from their homes after the alleged attempted assassination of Mansour. The members remain in detention.
On 30 August the group protested against the detention of their colleagues in Shubra. The protests escalated into clashes between protesters and security forces, resulting in the arrest of 36 Ultras members.
On 11 September their detention was renewed for 15 more days.
Some of the Ultras White Knights detainees decided on Saturday to begin hunger strikes along with dozens of other Egyptian detainees currently on hunger strike.
A total 50 Ultras White Knights members are currently detained, according to the Ultras member.
“Our concentration now is with the people that are in prison,” the Ultras member said. “This is what we are worried about.”
Disputes between the Ultras White Knights and Mansour are frequent. A member within the group previously told Daily News Egypt that Mansour is “fighting the group” and that group members have been banned from entering the sporting club.
