Muslim Brotherhood spokesman El-Haddad arrested in Cairo
By Pol O Gradaigh and Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
published 17.09.2013
Cairo (dpa) - Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad El-Haddad was arrested on Tuesday, the latest high profile detention in the campaign by Egypt's military-backed government against Islamists.
El-Haddad had been in hiding since mid-August, when security forces stormed protest camps set up by supporters of Mohammed Morsi, the ousted president.
Morsi was deposed by military chief Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi on July 3, after mass demonstrations calling on him to go.
El-Haddad had used his Twitter account to defend the Brotherhood's policies, and repeatedly rejected negotiations with the military-backed government.
He was arrested, along with the former governor of Qalyoubiya province, Hossam Abu Bakr, when police raided an apartment in Cairo's north-eastern Nasr City district, security officials said.
The arrests came after a Cairo court confirmed orders from the prosecutor general freezing the assets of 14 Islamist leaders who have been referred for trial since Morsi was toppled.
Hundreds of Islamists have been arrested over the past month, accused of inciting violence.
The 14 leaders include Muslim Brotherhood head Mohammed Badie, his deputy Khairat al-Shater, and the head of the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, Saad al-Katatni.
Also covered by the decision of the court are hardline preachers Safwat Hegazy and Hazem Salah Abu Ismail.
The Islamist leaders face trial on a variety of charges, including resisting the authorities and incitement to murder in several clashes between Brotherhood supporters and opponents.
Islamists accuse the military of staging a coup aimed at restoring the former regime of Hosny Mubarak. Liberal and leftist forces, who are serving in an interim government, say that Morsi ruled in an authoritarian manner, and was ineffective in addressing a faltering economy.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Mohammed ElBaradei urged members of the Constitution Party, which he founded around a year ago, to fight for the goals of the 2011 uprising, which ousted Mubarak.
"At this critical stage, I still hope the youth of the Constitution Party will be a role model for teamwork and reunification in the nation," the Nobel Peace Prize winner said on his Twitter account.
This was ElBaradei's first public statement since he resigned as vice president following the security's dispersal of pro-Morsi sit-ins on August 14, killing hundreds. He left for Vienna shortly after his resignation.
ElBaradei is facing trial on charges of betrayal of trust after his resignation. The trial is expected to start on Thursday.
The case against him was brought by a law professor who argues that ElBaradei was appointed as a representative of the opposition, and was obliged to refer his resignation to them.
