CAIRO: Egyptian autho-rities have detained President Mohamed Mursi for 15 days over an array of accusations, including killing soldiers and cons-piring with the Palestinian group Hamas, the state news agency said on Friday. The report came just hours before millions of Egyptians were expected to take to the streets in mass rallies for and against Egypt’s first freely elected leader, who was ousted by the military on July 3.
Mursi has been held by the military since his downfall, but until today’s step by an investigating judge, he had not faced any formal legal measures. The charges relate to his escape, along with other top Brotherhood leaders, from a prison north of Cairo.
The report on the state news agency said investigating judge Hassan Samir had confronted Mursi with evidence during his questioning. It did not say when or where he had been questioned.
A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, which says the army has staged a coup against the democratically elected head of state, described the accusations as “ridicu-lous”.
Mursi and many other Brotherhood leaders were rounded up by the authorities during the 2011 uprising that swept Hosni Mubarak from power.
The accusations listed against Mursi included arson, destruction of prison records and “collaboration with Hamas to undertake aggressive acts in the country, attacking police facilities, officers and soldiers”. (AP)
