South Cairo Prosecution ordered on Monday the detainment of Muslim Brotherhood figure Mohamed al-Beltagy for 15 days pending investigations over charges of killing protesters before the supreme guidance bureau during protests of 30 June, when nine persons were killed and other 91 were injured.
Prosecution leveled accusations of inciting murder and attempted killing of citizens to carry out terrorism, as well as possessing arms and ammunition without license.
Prosecution faced Beltagy with the evidence, defendants’ testimonies, witnesses, phone calls between him and Mohamed al-Beshlawy, the main suspect in the lawsuit of killing protesters before the guidance bureau and outcome of investigations over inciting the mentioned crimes. However, Beltagy denied all of them.
During investigations, Beltagy said he called Beshlawy twice on the phone to merely inquire about the situation of the protests at the bureau, not to give orders to kill protesters.
He also said that the Brotherhood has the right to defend their headquarters, adding “Those who broke into the Brotherhood’s bureau were groups of thugs. Police should have carried out its duty and protected the headquarters.”
Beltagy said he made a phone call to Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim and Major General Osama al-Sagheer, Cairo security chief, to inform them about the situation and request troops to secure it.
He also accused them of being in charge of the incidents, requesting their testimonies over the incidents.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
