Egypt extends detention of 8 Brotherhood leaders

Egypt's prosecution decided Wednesday to extend the detention of eight Muslim Brotherhood (MB) leading figures for 15 days pending investigations over charges of inciting violence and killings, official news agency MENA reported. The detainees include MB deputy chief Khairat al-Shater, former top leader Mahdi Akef and head of its Freedom and Justice Party ( FJP) Mohamed Saad al-Katatni. Akef and Katatni are also facing charges of insulting the judiciary. Many charges have been pursued against senior members of the MB since the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi, who is affiliated with the group, on July 3. On Saturday, the prosecution ordered to freeze assets of 14 leading figures of the MB, the conservative Salafist Front and the hardline Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya group, including the MB's top leader Mohamed Badie, leading member Mohamed al-Beltagi, FJP deputy chairman Essam al-Erian and Islamic preacher Safwat Hegazi. They are accused of inciting violence outside the Republican Guards House in Cairo and Nahdah Square in Giza, which resulted in at least 60 deaths last week. The prosecution started Saturday to examine complaints against Morsi and several senior MB and FJP members over alleged involvement in spying and murdering protesters as well as other charges. On July 4, the prosecution also ordered a travel ban against Morsi and other 35 MB figures over investigations on killing protesters. Meanwhile, a group of supporters of Morsi have been gathering since early Wednesday morning near the cabinet building in downtown Cairo, protesting the newly-formed interim government that took oath on Tuesday.