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Egyptian Court Accuses Morsi of Espionage Egyptian Court Accuses Morsi of Espionage
(about 1 hour later)
CAIRO — Egyptian state media reported on Friday that former President Mohamed Morsi had been formally charged with espionage and remanded in custody, in a move that seemed certain to further anger his supporters who have been demonstrating against what they call the military coup that removed him from power. CAIRO — Egyptian state media reported on Friday that former President Mohamed Morsi had been formally charged with espionage and ordered to be detained for 15 days, a move that seemed certain to further anger his supporters, who have been demonstrating against what they call the military coup that removed him from power.
With mass dueling protests planned by Mr. Morsi’s opponents and his supporters on Friday, the president’s formal detention on what are viewed by many as political charges threatened to further inflame the streets. Egypt’s military rulers had come under intensifying international pressure to release Mr. Morsi, who had been held incommunicado by the military since he was removed from power on July 3. Mr. Morsi’s supporters and opponents began flooding into the streets in mass dueling protests early on Friday, as the military set up checkpoints throughout the city. In Tahrir Square in Cairo, thousands of flag-waving people gathered to cheer the military takeover, as helicopters flew low over the crowd and families posed for photographs of soldiers next to their armored vehicles. Many in the crowd held up posters of Egypt’s defense minister, Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, who ousted Mr. Morsi on July 3 and had called on Wednesday for demonstrations to show support for the interim government.
Instead, an investigating judge ordered him imprisoned for 15 days on formal charges, according to a report on Friday morning on the Web site of the state newspaper, Al Ahram. The charges relate to Mr. Morsi’s escape in 2011 from the Wadi Natroun prison, where he was held for two days by the government of former President Hosni Mubarak during the uprising against Mr. Mubarak’s rule. With Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters also marching — in larger numbers — along dozens of planned routes on Friday, there were widespread fears of more confrontations and violence, after a week of scattered clashes that left more than a dozen people dead. But by midafternoon Friday, the two protest camps appeared to have stayed clear of conflict.
The judge, Hassan Samir, said that Mr. Morsi conspired with Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip, to escape from the prison. The report said Mr. Morsi and Hamas carried out “aggressive acts in the country,” attacked police establishments and killed and kidnapped police officers and soldiers. Egypt’s military rulers have come under intensifying international pressure to release Mr. Morsi, who has been held incommunicado by the military since he was removed from power.
After his escape, Mr. Morsi said in a television interview that he was among 30 members of his movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, who were broken out of the prison by men they did not know. Instead, an investigating judge ordered him imprisoned for 15 days on formal charges, according to a report on Friday morning on the Web site of the flagship state newspaper, Al Ahram. The charges relate to Mr. Morsi’s escape in 2011 from the Wadi Natroun prison, where he was held for two days by the government of President Hosni Mubarak during the uprising against Mr. Mubarak’s rule.
The judge, Hassan Samir, said Mr. Morsi had conspired with Hamas — the Palestinian militant group that governs the Gaza Strip and is allied with Mr. Morsi’s movement, the Muslim Brotherhood — to escape from the prison. The report said Mr. Morsi and Hamas carried out “aggressive acts in the country,” attacked police establishments and killed and kidnapped police officers and soldiers.
After his escape, Mr. Morsi said in a television interview that he was among 30 members of the Muslim Brotherhood who were broken out of the prison by men they did not know.
During Mr. Morsi’s year as president, his opponents had repeatedly accused him of conspiring with Hamas, an offshoot of the Brotherhood. The Wadi Natroun case never gained any traction until Mr. Morsi was toppled and prosecutors began an aggressive investigation.During Mr. Morsi’s year as president, his opponents had repeatedly accused him of conspiring with Hamas, an offshoot of the Brotherhood. The Wadi Natroun case never gained any traction until Mr. Morsi was toppled and prosecutors began an aggressive investigation.
In a statement, Salah al-Bardaweel, a spokesman for Hamas, denounced the charges and challenged Egyptian prosecutors to present evidence that the group had any involvement with the prison breaks. “This is an implication of Hamas into a dishonorable political battle,” he said. In a statement, Salah al-Bardawil, a spokesman for Hamas, denounced the charges and challenged Egyptian prosecutors to present evidence that the group had any involvement with the prison breaks. “This is an implication of Hamas into a dishonorable political battle,” he said.
Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, said on Friday that the charges amounted to a repudiation of the revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak and “might increase the number of angry people on the ground.”Gehad el-Haddad, a spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, said on Friday that the charges amounted to a repudiation of the revolt that toppled Mr. Mubarak and “might increase the number of angry people on the ground.”
“It will only help strengthen the realization that the Mubarak state is back,” he said.“It will only help strengthen the realization that the Mubarak state is back,” he said.

Mayy El Sheikh in Cairo and Fares Akram in Gaza contributed reporting.

In Tahrir Square, a stronghold for Mr. Morsi’s opponents for weeks now, many in the crowd seemed heartened by news of the criminal charges. “Morsi is nothing but a criminal, and the Egyptian people will be victorious,” said Ibrahim Abdelrahman, 60, as he waved an Egyptian flag. “The people, the army, the police — we are all one hand.”

Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Fares Akram from Gaza.