Egypt's Morsi, leading Islamists on travel ban list

Egyptian judicial authorities have officially decided to include ousted President Mohammad Morsi, several leading figures of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Wasat Party on a travel ban list. They will be questioned next Monday on charges of insulting the judiciary. The judicial authorities have sent an official notification to Cairo International Airport as well as all airports and harbors nationwide, according to Anadolu Agency judicial correspondent. The travel bans apply to Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood former guide Mahdi Akef, Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Saad el-Katatni, and al-Wasat Party Deputy Chairman Essam Soltan. Also banned from leaving the country are leading Muslim Brotherhood figures Gamal Gebril, Taher Abdel Mohsen, Mohammad el-Beltagui and Sobhi Saleh. The Egyptian prosecution had earlier issued warrant arrest for Muslim Brotherhood Guide Mohammad Badei, his deputy Khairat el-Shater and all members of the Brotherhood’s guidance office. Katatni, the former parliament speaker, and Muslim Brotherhood deputy guide Mohammad Rashad Bayoumi were arrested Wednesday and are now held at the Tora Prisons area. The crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and its FJP came shortly after Defense Minister Abdel Fatah El Sisi announced Wednesday that the Constitutional Court head will serve as interim president until early presidential elections are held. He added that a roadmap for the future of Egypt also included temporarily suspending the constitution, forming a coalition government of technocrats and holding early presidential elections.