Prosecutors begin questioning Morsi

The supporters of Muslim Brotherhood and ousted President Mohamed Morsi wave a giant national flag during a rally outside Rabaa al-Adawiya Mosque, Cairo, Egypt, July 12, 2013.

Egyptian investigators are grilling ousted president Mohamed Morsi and the members of Muslim Brotherhood party over their involvement in a 2011 prison break.

According to Egyptian judicial sources, Morsi along with about 30 senior Muslim Brotherhood members are being investigated over allegations that they escaped from Wadi Natrun Prison during the uprising two years ago.

The prison located in north of Cairo was used to incarcerate members of the Islamic parities under the regime of Hosni Mubarak.

The inquiry follows allegations that the Palestinian Hamas and the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah had helped them by attacking the jail.

The deposed president could face a long prison sentence if he is found guilty of colluding with foreign groups against the Egyptian state.

Morsi and his colleagues are also accused of spying, inciting violence and damaging the economy.

Meantime, the ousted president’s supporters have held fresh rallies in Cairo to demand his return to power.

They say the rallies will continue until Morsi is reinstated. The president was ousted by the army in a military coup earlier this month.

The situation remains tense in Egypt, with Interim Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi expected to announce the new cabinet soon.

El-Beblawi was to nominate leftist politician Godah Abdel Khalik to lead the supplies ministry which he led for months in 2011.

But, Khalik now says he has declined an offer to return to the post for some personal reasons.

El-Beblawi will also nominate Christian liberal politician Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour as investment minister. Another Christian, Hany Kadri, is to be offered the finance minister’s post while General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will remain defense minister.

The developments come less than two weeks after Morsi was toppled in a military coup that sparked violent protests.

Since then, the new military-backed administration has intensified crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, issuing arrest warrants for many of the group’s members.

Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party has rejected all the ongoing army-backed political process in the North African country.

JR/PR

Republished with permission from: Press TV