Egyptian Authorities Reportedly Arrest Dozens of Muslim Brotherhood Members
Over 100 people in Egypt have been arrested following the interim government declaring the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
According to CNN, state-run Egyptian media outlet MENA reported that 54 members of the Islamist political movement, which backs ousted President Morsi, have been "charged with attacking police stations and inciting violence." CNN is also reporting that according to state media outlet EgyNews, police have been instructed "to confiscate copies of the Muslim Brotherhood's newspaper, stop its publication and seal off the Justice and Freedom publishing house that print the group's daily."
A spokesman for the Egyptian interior minister has said that members of the Muslim Brotherhood will receive a five-year prison sentence.
The interim government's decision to label the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization followed the bombing of a police building in northern Egypt, despite the fact that the jihadist organization Ansar Jerusalem took credit for the attack.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki has said that Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed concern over the latest crackdown to Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy.
Since the interim government's decision was announced there have been clashes between supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egyptian police. Two protesters have reportedly been killed. The Muslim Brotherhood has pledged to continue peaceful protests.
The interim Egyptian government has demonstrated that it is not afraid to violently crackdown on Morsi's supporters. Last August, Egyptian security forces raided protest camps in Cairo set up by pro-Morsi protesters. The crackdown resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, although the Muslim Brotherhood said that the death toll was much higher.
