Brotherhood leader denies charges

The jailed leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, has denied charges of inciting violence.

Badie and 14 other top Brotherhood leaders were brought to court in Cairo on Monday for the opening of a trial focusing on July clashes in which at least five people were killed.

During the trial, Badie denied that the Brotherhood was behind violence in the country.

“Me and my group are not offenders or defendants. We are victims in the face of those that killed thousands of citizens and peaceful protesters,” Badie stated, according to Egypt’s state news agency.

He added that dozens of Muslim Brotherhood offices were set on fire during protests by opponents of Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

“My son was killed, my home was torched and shot at, and despite all that there is not a single investigation into this,” he said.

Badie’s son lost his life during the security crackdown on pro-Morsi demonstrations in August.

Monday’s proceedings were repeatedly interrupted by the defendants who denied the charges against them saying they were brought by authorities they do not recognize.

Mohamed El-Beltagy, another leading Brotherhood figure, censured the panel of judges and said “they are sitting in the wrong place” and trying the wrong people.

The judge adjourned the trial to February 11, 2014.

Meanwhile, Brotherhood defense lawyer Mohammed el-Damati also denounced the trials as politically-motivated, saying, “I think all these trials are political but masqueraded as criminal cases.”

Egypt has been experiencing violence since July 3, when the army ousted Morsi, suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament. It also appointed the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mahmoud Mansour, as the new interim president.

The government of Mansour has launched a bloody crackdown on Morsi supporters and arrested more than 2,000 Muslim Brotherhood members.