Brotherhood NGO to be dissolved

CAIRO: Egypt’s army-backed authorities have decided to annul the Muslim Brotherhood’s nongovernmental organization, an official said on Friday, widening a drive to neutralize the movement behind deposed President Muhammad Mursi.
The move applies to the nongovernmental organization registered by the Brotherhood in March, and stems from accusations that it used its premises to store weapons and explosives. The decision has yet to be formally announced, the official said..
Although short of a ban, dissolving the NGO will strip the Brotherhood of a defense against challenges to its legality. Egypt’s then army rulers formally dissolved the Brotherhood in 1954.
Social Solidarity Minister Ahmed El-Boraie has now decided to dissolve the Brotherhood’s NGO, ministry spokesman Hany Mahana said. The move will be announced once the minister returned from an overseas trip.
“Dr. El-Boraie has decided to dissolve the organization. The decree has not been issued yet,” he said.
The General Federation of NGOs wrote to the ministry on Thursday consenting to the dissolution of the Brotherhood NGO after its leaders missed a deadline to answer the accusations.
Meanwhile, one person was killed on Friday in the Egyptian province of Damietta during protests called by the Brotherhood and its allies against the army-backed government, a medical official said.
People took to the streets across the country. Skirmishes were also reported in the cities of Alexandria on the north coast and Tanta in the Nile Delta.
The man killed in the Damietta town of Kafr El-Bateekh was Ibrahim Selim, 30, said Abdel Hadi Dorah, the head of the local emergency services.
The violence erupted when dozens of Mursi supporters staged a march after Friday prayers, triggering clashes with government supporters, witnesses said. Birdshot, rocks and sticks were used in the violence. At least five other people were injured.
In Alexandria, three people were injured in clashes that erupted during protests by several thousand Mursi supporters.