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Egypt's cabinet orders police to end pro-Morsi sit-ins | Egypt's cabinet orders police to end pro-Morsi sit-ins |
(35 minutes later) | |
Egypt's military-backed government has ordered police to end sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the capital Cairo. | Egypt's military-backed government has ordered police to end sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in the capital Cairo. |
"The cabinet has decided to take all measures necessary to confront these risks and put an end to them," an official said in a televised statement. | "The cabinet has decided to take all measures necessary to confront these risks and put an end to them," an official said in a televised statement. |
The statement termed the continued rallies "a national security threat". | The statement termed the continued rallies "a national security threat". |
Three top Muslim Brotherhood leaders have also been referred to court on charges of inciting violence. | |
The movement's supporters have staged sit-ins for several weeks since President Morsi was removed on 3 July. | |
They have defied previous threats of removal from their sit-in protests, despite deadly clashes with security forces. | They have defied previous threats of removal from their sit-in protests, despite deadly clashes with security forces. |
The main protest sit-in is at a square near the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in the capital's north-east, where deadly clashes erupted on Saturday killing 70 people, and in Nahda Square near the main campus of Cairo University. | |
"The continuation of the dangerous situation in Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda squares, and consequent terrorism and road blockages are no longer acceptable given the threat to national security," Information Minister Dorreya Sharaf el-Din said, speaking in a televised statement. | "The continuation of the dangerous situation in Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda squares, and consequent terrorism and road blockages are no longer acceptable given the threat to national security," Information Minister Dorreya Sharaf el-Din said, speaking in a televised statement. |
Mr El-Din said the police had been tasked to end the demonstrations "within the law and the constitution". | Mr El-Din said the police had been tasked to end the demonstrations "within the law and the constitution". |
The interim government had earlier warned that any violation of the law would be dealt with "firmly". | |
Last week, the army called on its supporters to take to the streets to give military chief Gen Fattah al-Sisi a mandate to deal with violence and "potential terrorism". | Last week, the army called on its supporters to take to the streets to give military chief Gen Fattah al-Sisi a mandate to deal with violence and "potential terrorism". |
Also on Wednesday, Egyptian prosecutors referred Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie, his deputy Khairat al-Shater and senior leader Rashad Bayoum to trial over allegations of inciting the killing of protesters last month. |