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Morsi’s Friends and Foes Stage Mass Rallies Across Egypt Morsi’s Friends and Foes Stage Mass Rallies Across Egypt
(35 minutes later)
CAIRO — Egyptian state media reported on Friday that former President Mohamed Morsi had been formally charged with espionage and ordered detained for 15 days, a move that seemed certain to further anger his supporters, as both pro- and anti-Morsi crowds turned out in vast demonstrations across Egypt. CAIRO — Supporters and opponents of the deposed president, Mohamed Morsi, turned out in vast dueling demonstrations across Egypt on Friday, flooding the streets and raising tensions further after a week of violence that left more than a dozen people dead.
Mr. Morsi’s supporters and opponents began flooding into the streets in mass dueling protests early on Friday, as the military set up checkpoints throughout the city. In Tahrir Square here in Cairo, tens of thousands of flag-waving people cheered the military takeover, as helicopters flew low over the crowd and families posed for photographs with soldiers next to their armored vehicles. Many in the crowd held up posters of Egypt’s defense minister, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, who ousted Mr. Morsi on July 3 and had called on Wednesday for demonstrations that he said would give him a “mandate” to fight terrorism. As the military set up checkpoints in Cairo, tens of thousands of flag-waving people in Tahrir Square cheered the military takeover, with many in the crowd holding up posters of the general who ousted Mr. Morsi and had called on Wednesday for demonstrations that he said would give him a “mandate” to fight terrorism. Helicopters flew low over the crowd and families posed for photographs with soldiers next to their armored vehicles.
At the same time, Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters marched along dozens of planned routes. At least one person was killed in the city of Alexandria, state media reported, and there were widespread fears of more confrontations and violence after a week of scattered clashes that left more than a dozen people dead. At the same time, Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters marched along dozens of planned routes. Egyptian state media reported that two people were killed and 19 wounded in battles between pro- and anti-Morsi crowds in the city of Alexandria, and there were widespread fears of more confrontations.
Egypt’s military rulers have come under intensifying international pressure to release Mr. Morsi, who has been held incommunicado by the military since he was removed from power. Early in the day, a judge ordered Mr. Morsi detained for an investigation into accusations that he had conspired with the Palestinian militant group Hamas to escape from prison in 2011.
Instead, an investigating judge ordered him imprisoned for 15 days on formal charges, according to a report on Friday morning on the Web site of the flagship state newspaper, Al Ahram. The charges relate to Mr. Morsi’s escape in 2011 from the Wadi Natroun prison, where he was held for two days by the government of President Hosni Mubarak during the uprising against Mr. Mubarak’s rule. Egypt’s military rulers have come under intensifying international pressure to allow access to Mr. Morsi, who has been held incommunicado, in an unknown location, by the military since he was removed from power by Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, the defense minister, on July 3.
The judge, Hassan Samir, said Mr. Morsi had conspired with Hamas — the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip and is allied with Mr. Morsi’s movement, the Muslim Brotherhood — to escape from the prison. The report said Mr. Morsi and Hamas carried out “aggressive acts in the country,” attacked police establishments and killed and kidnapped police officers and soldiers. Instead, an investigating judge, Hassan Samir, ordered him held for 15 days for an investigation into espionage charges, which human rights advocates say appear to be political in nature. Mr. Morsi escaped the Wadi Natroun prison after being held for two days by the government of President Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 uprising against his rule, according to state media.
Mr. Morsi is accused of conspiring with Hamas — which governs the Gaza Strip and is allied with Mr. Morsi’s movement, the Muslim Brotherhood — to carry out “hostile acts” as well as the premeditated killing and kidnapping of soldiers and police officers.
After his escape, Mr. Morsi said in a television interview that he was among 30 members of the Muslim Brotherhood who were broken out of the prison by men they did not know.After his escape, Mr. Morsi said in a television interview that he was among 30 members of the Muslim Brotherhood who were broken out of the prison by men they did not know.
During Mr. Morsi’s year as president, his opponents had repeatedly accused him of conspiring with Hamas, an offshoot of the Brotherhood. The Wadi Natroun case never gained any traction until Mr. Morsi was toppled and prosecutors began an aggressive investigation.During Mr. Morsi’s year as president, his opponents had repeatedly accused him of conspiring with Hamas, an offshoot of the Brotherhood. The Wadi Natroun case never gained any traction until Mr. Morsi was toppled and prosecutors began an aggressive investigation.
In a statement, Salah al-Bardawil, a spokesman for Hamas, denounced the charges and challenged Egyptian prosecutors to present evidence that the group had any involvement with the prison break. “This is an implication of Hamas into a dishonorable political battle,” he said.In a statement, Salah al-Bardawil, a spokesman for Hamas, denounced the charges and challenged Egyptian prosecutors to present evidence that the group had any involvement with the prison break. “This is an implication of Hamas into a dishonorable political battle,” he said.
Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, said on Friday that the charges amounted to a repudiation of the revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak and “might increase the number of angry people on the ground.”Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, said on Friday that the charges amounted to a repudiation of the revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak and “might increase the number of angry people on the ground.”
“It will only help strengthen the realization that the Mubarak state is back,” he said.“It will only help strengthen the realization that the Mubarak state is back,” he said.
In Tahrir Square, a stronghold for Mr. Morsi’s opponents for weeks now, many in the crowd seemed heartened by news of the criminal charges. “Morsi is nothing but a criminal, and the Egyptian people will be victorious,” said Ibrahim Abdelrahman, 60, as he waved an Egyptian flag. “The people, the army, the police — we are all one hand.”In Tahrir Square, a stronghold for Mr. Morsi’s opponents for weeks now, many in the crowd seemed heartened by news of the criminal charges. “Morsi is nothing but a criminal, and the Egyptian people will be victorious,” said Ibrahim Abdelrahman, 60, as he waved an Egyptian flag. “The people, the army, the police — we are all one hand.”

Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Fares Akram from Gaza.

Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Fares Akram from Gaza.