Govt warns Brotherhood against violence

The Interior Ministry released a statement Monday warning that deposed President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters may attempt to storm the main conference hall in Nasr City.

The ministry emphasized that it would employ swift measures against any attempts to attack state institutions, and would not allow “any practices that threaten the state and the interests of the Egyptian people,” said the statement, as quoted on the state-run Egynews website.

The National Defense Council called on the protesters supporting the fallen Islamist president not to “exceed their rights of peaceful protesting” in a statement released late on Wednesday, reported the independent daily newspaper Al-Shorouk.

The council said in its statement that the sit-ins near Rabea al-Adaweya Mosque and Nahda Square “exceeded the basic [measures] of national security.”

The council also expressed “deep sorrow” over the victims of the Mannasa violence that left nearly 80 protesters dead and hundreds injured when clashes erupted between protesters, police forces and area residents over the weekend.

The Defense Council is headed by the interim President Adly Mansour, and composed of Minister of Defense Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim, head of intelligence Mohamed al-Touhamy, and head of the military intelligence Mahmoud Hegazy.

The statement was drafted in a meeting that was also attended by Vice President for International Affairs Mohamed ElBaradei, Vice President for Political Affairs Mostafa Hegazy and Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi.

The recently suspended constitution that was passed in late 2012 stipulated the formation of the council, tasking it with investigating the means of securing the country, looking into the budget of the Armed Forces, and acting as a consulting body regarding all laws and regulations related to the military.

The council urged those protesting at Rabea al-Adaweya and Nahda Square to officially condemn violence and to end all “physical and moral terrorism against citizens.”

“The council warns that it will take all the necessary measures against any violation of the rule of law, and within the boundaries of human rights regulations,” the statement continued.

Essam al-Erian, vice president of the Freedom and Justice Party, slammed the council’s statement on his official Facebook page.

“The council should not be concerned with protecting the military coup, or the politicians who incited this coup and rejecting democracy,” he argued.

“I’m also sad that the 100 martyrs who were killed only got the ‘sorrow’ of the council,” he wrote.