Muslim Brotherhood top leader Mohamed Badie, 70, was arrested in Egypt early Tuesday morning while he was at his apartment near Nasr City in northeast Cairo.
State media reported the incident on Tuesday, explaining that it was part of a crackdown on the political group. The crackdown has sparked deadly protests and resulted in condemnation from the international community.
Reuters reports that Egypt’s Interior Ministry confirmed Badie’s arrest with a photo of the General Guide sitting in a car between two men wearing black body armor.
The caption on the photo explained that Cairo’s security services made the arrest while “carrying out the decisions of the public prosecutor.” They were called on “to arrest and bring forward the general guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Badie.”
The AFP notes that senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood are wanted for questioning, including Badie. They have been accused of inciting the deaths protesters in the country.
Prosecutors also announced that they have set a trial date for August 25 in the case of six top Brotherhood leaders who will be indicted on charges of “incitement to murder.”
The Muslim Brotherhood leader was arrested just days after his son was killed in the protests against the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.
Morsi was deposed by the military in what his supporters call a coup on July 3. Since then, the country has remained in a state of turmoil. But violence skyrocketed on Wednesday when the Egyptian military attempted to clear out two sit-ins involving Morsi supporters. Almost 1,000 people have been killed since last Wednesday.
it is likely that Badie will also face charges of inciting the riots that killed hundreds of protesters. The apartment he was arrested in was located near Rabaa al-Adawiya square, where more than 200 Morsi supporters were killed Wednesday.
Are you surprised that Egypt has arrested the Muslim Brotherhood’s top leader?