ANKARA
Mohammed al Beltagy, one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) said, “If we had arms in Raba’a Adawiya, we would have protected our children first. The coup government could not even show proof that the MB committed a terrorist attack.”
Beltagy, against whom the coup government in Egypt has issued an arrest warrant, spoke to a private television channel concerning the massacre and crackdown against members of the Brotherhood.
Concerning the arrest warrants against the leaders of the Brotherhood, Beltagy stated the following:
"The coup makers feature the term “war on terror” in order to justify the coup and divert people. The army plotted the killings of 25 security officers in order to cover up the killing of arrested Brotherhood leaders. The coup government could not even supply proof showing that the Brotherhood had committed a terrorist attack."
Responding to accusations of the Brotherhood being armed and conducting non-peaceful protests, Beltajy denies such allegations by saying, "If we had arms in Raba’a Adawiya, we would have protected our children first. If the Brotherhood had had militia, then why could they not have used them in order to protect their leaders? If the Brotherhood is a terrorist organization, then how can Hazim al Bilawi, the interim government prime minister, enter into dialogue with us in relation to re-establishing the government?"
The interim administration continues arresting Brotherhood members
Police reportedly raided the house of Abdurrahman es-Sorbaci, one of the leaders of the Brotherhood, in the Sinai Peninsula. Sorbaci and his family were reportedly not at their family house in the northern Sinai town of Arish when police conducted a raid.
The Brotherhood leaders detained by means of the notification of Egypt's Chief Prosecutor are expected to be tried on September 3. The interim government accuses the detained of being reponsible for the massacre on August 14-16 against anti-coup and pro-Morsi protestors in the Rabaa Adawiya and Nahda squares, as well as of "provoking people towards the state, causing the deaths of people and security forces, burning 3 churches in Suez and some other buildings and 5 armored military vehicles, causing chaos and blocking roads.”
64 Brotherhood leaders, including elected president Mohammed Morsi, will reportedly be tried on September 3.
