Morsi supporters fail in attempt to free ousted leader

Egypt's ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi Supporters of Egypt's ousted president Mohammed Morsi clashed with security forces in Cairo on Friday morning, following an attempt to secure the release of the ousted leader .
General Mohamed Nour el-Din, a former interior ministry official told Alhayat TV that Morsi supporters gathered outside Akrab Prison in Cairo, in the belief that Morsi is detained at the facility. He said that they used "light weapons" in their attempt to storm the prison, but were met with heavy resistance from the security forces, who managed to arrest a number of protesters.
Earlier, Gaza's Hamas rulers criticised Egypt after a Cairo court ordered that ousted president Mohammed Morsi be detained for questioning over alleged ties with the Palestinian militant group.
"Hamas condemns this move since it is based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.
"This is a dangerous development, which confirms that the current powers in Egypt are giving up on national causes and even using these issues to deal with other parties - first among them the Palestinian cause."
Morsi will be quizzed on whether he collaborated with Hamas in attacks on police stations and prison breaks in early 2011, in which the Islamist and other political inmates escaped during the revolt against strongman Hosni Mubarak, it said.
Meanwhile, police in the country said they were planning large scale reinforcements to secure Friday's rallies, amid fears they will turn into a massive showdown in the streets.
Egypt’s army distributed leaflets on Thursday evening over Rabaa el-Adaweya sit-in where supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi are protesting.
The military forces used the leaflets to express their keenness in "protecting peaceful protesters, whilst fighting violence."
The army added that their actions were for the "interest of the country," assuring neutrality.
“We will support you to support your country, and we all will fight violence and terrorism,” the army affirmed.
However, the army also went on to threaten to turn its guns on those who use violence, in its starkest warning yet ahead of what both sides expect will be a bloody showdown in the streets between supporters and opponents of Morsi.
An army official affirmed that the military had also issued an ultimatum to Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, giving the Islamist group until Saturday to sign up to a plan for political reconciliation.
Hisham Kandil, prime minister before Morsi who was pushed aside by the army on July 3, proposed a three-stage road map that would start with confidence building steps.
In a video recording posted on YouTube, the former premier said both sides should refrain from marches and hold rallies only in fixed locations.
Kandil, who was among the representatives of Morsi's camp in a meeting with EU diplomat Catherine Ashton last week, also called for the release of prisoners detained in the days leading to Morsi's ouster by the military, and those detained since.
"A delegation should be allowed to visit Morsi, detained by the army since his overthrow, to check on his health," Kandil said.
Kandil also revealed that Morsi did not reject the presidential referendum, but had asked it to be held after the parliamentary elections.
He stressed the former Islamist leader's keenness to achieve revolution goals, and setting reforms in the state institutions, adding that Mosri believed that the people of Egypt "must have the power" to be independent in all fields.
Regarding the events of June 30, Kandil denied Morsi’s prior knowledge of the army’s statement.
"The last time I saw General al-Sisi and Morsi was on July 2 at the Republican Guards headquarters, where Morsi had told him to take care of the Egyptian army because it is important to Egypt,” Kandil said.
"Morsi did not know in advance about the army statement and was annoyed because he believed they were biased towards the opposition," Kandil added.
Regarding the presidential referendum, Kandil said: "Morsi did not reject it. He believed a referendum on his presidency should be held after parliamentary elections, which were planned for September to avoid a constitutional gap."
Additional sources: AFP, AP