Appearing on the Late Late Show, Halawa – who spent over four years incarcerated in an Egyptian prison without being properly tried – denied having any support for the ousted Muslim Brotherhood.
The unrest follows nationwide repression of Islamist protests after the military-installed government listed the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation.
Washington has confirmed it’s halting $260 million in cash aid as well as shipments of some large scale military systems — including Apache helicopters and F-16 fighter jets.
The Egyptian military see the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to its power base and have co-opted secularists as a public façade for a naked power grab, writes Colm Ó Broin.
The sister of the four Irish siblings accused of attempted murder, possessing firearms and belonging to a militant group said she hoped they would be set free today.
Just two short years after Egypt’s ‘January Revolution’, the spirit of hope for a better future has been lost. At least 1,089 people have died in one week and deep scars have been carved in the Egyptian social fabric, writes Diana Eltahawy.
The Egyptian military’s crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood continued today, as a leading figure was arrested for his part in the killing of eight protesters in June.
Egypt’s interim premier has called for the inclusion of the Muslim Brotherhood in the democratisation process, adding that new elections would take place within a year.
President Mohamed Morsi has annulled the decree which gave him wide-ranging powers but the referendum on a controversial draft constitution will go ahead this coming week.
A recent decision by the country’s president to grant himself near-absolute power has sparked public protests and been condemned by the country’s judiciary.
The president also cancelled military-declared constitutional amendments which granted the top generals wide powers previously reserved for the head of state.
