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Egypt judges attack Mursi ousting of prosecutor-general Egypt judges attack Mursi ousting of prosecutor-general
(about 4 hours later)
A group of Egyptian judges has criticised President Mohammed Mursi's attempt to remove the country's top prosecutor as a "farce".A group of Egyptian judges has criticised President Mohammed Mursi's attempt to remove the country's top prosecutor as a "farce".
The president said he was reassigning prosecutor-general Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, regarded as a figure from the old regime, as Vatican envoy. The president said he was reassigning prosecutor-general Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, regarded as a figure from the era of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, as Vatican envoy.
But Mr Mahmoud has said he will not go.But Mr Mahmoud has said he will not go.
The move against him followed an angry public response to the high-profile acquittal of a group of supporters of the old regime. The move against him followed an angry public response to the high-profile acquittal of Mubarak supporters.
Twenty-four supporters of ousted President Hosni Mubarak were cleared of organising attacks on protesters during last year's uprising. Twenty-four people were cleared of organising attacks on protesters during last year's uprising.
They had been accused of sending men on camels and horses to break up a protest in Cairo in 2011, leaving several people dead.They had been accused of sending men on camels and horses to break up a protest in Cairo in 2011, leaving several people dead.
'Tyrant' gibe'Tyrant' gibe
Hundreds of demonstrators rallied in the capital Cairo against the acquittals, and the Muslim Brotherhood - the Islamist movement to which President Mursi belongs - has organised more protests for Friday. On Friday, minor clashes were reported as Muslim Brotherhood supporters and rival, anti-government protesters gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square.
Many of the protesters blamed Mr Mahmoud for the decision. In Alexandria, supporters of the Brotherhood - the Islamist movement to which Mr Mursi belongs - gathered ahead of a speech by the president, chanting: "Down with the prosecutor general" and, "the people want the judiciary to be purged".
President Mursi moved to dismiss the prosecutor-general after the acquittal of a series of defendants accused of organising a notorious attack on protesters during the revolution, known as the "Battle of the Camel".
In theory, the prosecutor is supposed to be independent. To get round that, the president appointed him ambassador to the Vatican. But it appears the prosecutor is resisting, and has the support of the judges.
It is a strange turnaround. In the days of Hosni Mubarak, it used to be the opposition criticising the lack of the independence of the judges. Now the Muslim Brotherhood has power, it seems more concerned with having its own way.
Protesters in Tahrir Square have blamed Mr Mahmoud for the decision to acquit former officials.
But his colleagues rallied to his support, calling an emergency meeting of a top judges' club to condemn the president's decision.But his colleagues rallied to his support, calling an emergency meeting of a top judges' club to condemn the president's decision.
"Egypt's law on judicial authority offers judges immunity and prevents exiling them from their posts in order to protect their independence from the executive authority," said senior judge Walid Shafie after the meeting."Egypt's law on judicial authority offers judges immunity and prevents exiling them from their posts in order to protect their independence from the executive authority," said senior judge Walid Shafie after the meeting.
The head of the judges' club, Ahmed al-Zind, was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying the judiciary would not bow to the "farce", adding: "The era of tyrants is over."The head of the judges' club, Ahmed al-Zind, was quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying the judiciary would not bow to the "farce", adding: "The era of tyrants is over."
The case against the Mubarak supporters is the latest flashpoint between Mr Mursi's government, elected earlier this year, and supporters of the old regime. The case against the Mubarak supporters is the latest flashpoint between Mr Mursi's government, elected earlier this year, and figures associated with the Mubarak era.
Some senior members of the Mubarak regime were among those accused. Those accused included Fathi Sorour and Safwat al-Sherif, former speakers of Egypt's two houses of parliament.
They included Fathi Sorour and Safwat al-Sherif, former speakers of Egypt's two houses of parliament.
Prosecutors said Mr Sherif, who was also the secretary general of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NPD), had "contacted MPs, members of the NDP and financiers of the party, inciting them to disperse the protests in Tahrir Square by force and violence".Prosecutors said Mr Sherif, who was also the secretary general of Mubarak's National Democratic Party (NPD), had "contacted MPs, members of the NDP and financiers of the party, inciting them to disperse the protests in Tahrir Square by force and violence".