The Egyptian government formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation today, accusing it of carrying out a suicide bomb attack on a police station that killed 16 people.
The move gives the authorities the power to charge any member of deposed President Mohamed Morsi’s movement with membership of a terrorist organisation, marking an escalation in the army-backed government’s crackdown on the group.
Following yesterday’s attack, Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi described the Brotherhood as a terrorist group, though today’s move formalises the step.
"All of Egypt. was terrified by the ugly crime that the Muslim Brotherhood group committed by blowing up the building of the Dakahlyia security directorate," an emailed statement from the cabinet office said.
“The cabinet decided to declare the Muslim Brotherhood group a terrorist organisation.”
The Brotherhood condemned the bomb attack, responsibility for which was claimed by a group called Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis.
Reuters