CAIRO, (Reuters) – Egyptian security forces have arrested the top leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, state media reported last night, pressing a crackdown on his group.
Mohamed Badie, 70, was detained at an apartment in Nasr City in northeast Cairo, the state news agency reported.
“That was after information came to the security apparatus locating his place of hiding,” it said.
The Facebook page of the Interior Ministry was showing a picture of Badie, with dark rings under his eyes, sitting in a car between two men in black body armour, with a caption confirming his arrest.
“Carrying out the decisions of the public prosecutor to arrest and bring forward the general guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Badie, and through collected information and observation of movements it was possible for the criminal search apparatus under the direction of Cairo’s security (services) to arrest him ,the caption said.
“The necessary legal measures are being taken,” it added.
Badie is the Brotherhood’s General Guide.
He was charged in July with inciting violence along with other Brotherhood officials. Together with his two deputies, he is due to stand trial on August 25.
Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim told Al Masry Al Youm, a newspaper, that Badie had been arrested in the early hours of Tuesday.
