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Morsi being held in safe place - Egypt foreign ministry Egypt unrest: US to go ahead with F-16 jets delivery
(about 3 hours later)
Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is being held in a "safe place", a foreign ministry spokesman says. The US is going ahead with plans to deliver four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt despite the political unrest in the country, senior American officials say.
Badr Abdul Atti told reporters on Wednesday he did not know where the 61-year-old Islamist was, but he was being treated in a "very dignified manner". This comes as Washington is continuing to evaluate last week's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the army.
Arrest warrants have been issued for the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and nine senior figures. US massive military aid to Cairo would have to be cut by law if the removal of the Islamist leader is determined by Washington to have been a coup.
Meanwhile, gunmen have reportedly attacked a senior military commander's car in the restive Sinai peninsula. The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mr Morsi, is demanding his reinstatement.
The commander emerged unharmed from the attack, which took place near the border with the Gaza Strip, a security official told the AFP news agency. Its supporters have been staging mass protests near Cairo's barracks, where he is believed to be being held. On Monday, more than 50 Brotherhood loyalists were killed in clashes with the army.
It is the latest in a string of attacks "targeting the army and the police in recent days with the aim of sowing chaos and harming the stability and national security of Egypt," the army said. 'In US interests'
'Dire consequences' The US officials say Washington will deliver four F-16 fighter jets in the next few weeks.
In another army crackdown, Egypt's state prosecutor charged Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and nine others with inciting Monday's deadly violence in Cairo. They are part of an already agreed bigger order of 20 planes - eight of which were sent to Egypt in January. The final eight are expected to be shipped later this year.
More than 50 people were killed outside the Presidential Guard barracks, where Morsi supporters had gathered to demand his reinstatement. White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday reiterated that it would not be "in the best interests of the United States to make immediate changes to our assistance programmes".
The foreign ministry spokesman also said on Wednesday that no charges had been levelled against the ousted president. He added that the administration would take its time to consider the implications of removing Mr Morsi from power.
Mr Morsi was being detained "for his own safety", he added, "and for the safety of the country, it is better to keep him in a safe place. Otherwise, the consequences will be dire". US military aid to Egypt is estimated to be $1.3bn (£860m) each year.
He reportedly denied that Mr Morsi was being detained at the Presidential Guard barracks in Cairo, as many believe. President Barack Obama has been careful not to use the word "coup" in relation to the recent events in Egypt to avoid triggering a legal cut-off of aid, the BBC's Katy Watson in Washington reports.
Many Brotherhood members are already in detention and warrants are said to have been been issued for hundreds more. 'Strong condemnation'
The Brotherhood, to which Mr Morsi belongs, says his ousting by the military a week ago amounted to a coup. An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman has said Mr Morsi is being held in a "safe place" and treated in a "very dignified manner".
Its supporters have since been staging protests outside the capital's Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque, not far from the barracks, demanding his release and reinstatement. Meanwhile, arrest warrants have been issued for the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, and nine senior figures.
The movement's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), has said it will not accept an offer to join the cabinet being set up by interim Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawi, a 76-year-old economist and former finance minister who was appointed on Tuesday. They are charged with inciting Monday's deadly violence in the capital.
The arrest warrants could scupper any attempts to persuade the Brotherhood to participate in the transitional political process. There are conflicting reports about what happened during the protest outside the Presidential Guard barracks, when more than 50 Brotherhood supporters were killed, as well as a soldier and two policemen.
'Remain peaceful'
Spokesman Gehad el-Haddad said the charges against Mr Badie, known as the General Guide, and other senior leaders, were "nothing more than an attempt by the police state to dismantle the Rabaa protest".
Prosecutors also said they had ordered 200 people - believed to be Brotherhood members - to be held in custody for at least 15 days pending further investigation into accusations of murder, incitement to violence, carrying unlicensed weapons and disrupting public order. Another 450 have been released on bail.
There are conflicting reports about what happened on Monday, when more than 50 Brotherhood supporters were killed, as well as a soldier and two policemen.
The Brotherhood says the army fired on peaceful demonstrators and is accusing the interim authorities of a cover up. The military, however, say they acted in self-defence after being attack by armed assailants.The Brotherhood says the army fired on peaceful demonstrators and is accusing the interim authorities of a cover up. The military, however, say they acted in self-defence after being attack by armed assailants.
On Wednesday, 15 leading Egyptian human rights groups expressed their "strong condemnation of the excessive use of force" against Brotherhood supporters, and called for an independent investigation into Monday's violence. Many Brotherhood members are already in detention and warrants are said to have been been issued for hundreds more.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in Cairo, says the protest now covers several square kilometres of the capital, and to clear it out forcibly would almost certainly involve further bloodshed. The new arrest warrants could scupper any attempts to persuade the Brotherhood to participate in the transitional political process, analysts say.
There is a feeling among the protesters that they have returned to the situation they were in under former President Hosni Mubarak, when the movement was banned and its members hunted down, our correspondent adds.There is a feeling among the protesters that they have returned to the situation they were in under former President Hosni Mubarak, when the movement was banned and its members hunted down, our correspondent adds.
The timetable for new elections, announced in a constitutional declaration by interim President Adly Mansour on Monday evening, laid out plans to set up a panel to amend the suspended constitution within 15 days.The timetable for new elections, announced in a constitutional declaration by interim President Adly Mansour on Monday evening, laid out plans to set up a panel to amend the suspended constitution within 15 days.
The changes would then be put to a referendum - to be organised within four months - which would pave the way for parliamentary elections, possibly in early 2014.The changes would then be put to a referendum - to be organised within four months - which would pave the way for parliamentary elections, possibly in early 2014.
Once the new parliament convenes, elections would be called to appoint a new president.Once the new parliament convenes, elections would be called to appoint a new president.
A spokesman for Mr Mansour said posts in the cabinet would be offered to the FJP, but senior party official Mohamed Kamal told the BBC: "We will never take part in any cabinet as long as Morsi is not back as a president." However, the Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, and main liberal National Salvation Front opposition coalition and the grassroots Tamarod protest movement have all rejected the transition plan.
The FJP's deputy chairman, Essam al-Erian, earlier said the constitutional declaration had been issued "by a man appointed by putschists". The text does make clear that Mr Mansour and his government draw their authority only from the commander of the armed forces, who deposed President Morsi.
The grassroots Tamarod protest movement, which organised the demonstrations that led to Mr Morsi's overthrow, said the decree gave too much power to Mr Mansour.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait - who are opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood - have promised Egypt's interim government $12bn (£8bn) in grants, loans, and gas and oil.
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