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| Morsi Charged With Spying as Egypt’s 2 Sides Take to Streets | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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-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. | 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. |
| 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.” | 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. | Mayy El Sheikh contributed reporting from Cairo, and Fares Akram from Gaza. |