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Egyptian Court Sets November Trial for Morsi


FILE - Torn posters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi are seen on a wall at Tahrir Square in Cairo.
FILE - Torn posters of ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi are seen on a wall at Tahrir Square in Cairo.
Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi is set to go on trial next month on charges of inciting violence and the killing of opponents while he was in office.

An Egyptian court on Wednesday set November 4 as the start date of the trial for the Islamist leader and 14 members of his banned Muslim Brotherhood, including a number of top aides.

The charges stem from deadly clashes in Cairo late last year when authorities say at least 10 people were killed after Morsi allegedly incited Brotherhood supporters to murder opponents protesting a decree protecting his decisions from judicial oversight.

The 100,000 people gathered outside the presidential palace on December 4 were also demonstrating against a highly disputed draft constitution that was hurriedly adopted by the Islamist-dominated parliament.

Officials from the Brotherhood and its political party denied using violence and said their supporters were defending the palace. They accused opponents of starting the battles and forcing away police who had been guarding the area.

The trial of Egypt's first freely elected president is part of a wide crackdown on the Brotherhood that has decimated its leadership and much of its mid-level organizers.

A panel formed by Egypt's interim Cabinet to handle the Brotherhood's frozen assets Tuesday ordered the seizing of the Islamist group's funds and the annulment of its status as a registered non-governmental association.

The decision follows a sweeping September 23 court verdict that banned the Muslim Brotherhood and all related organizations and activities.

On Monday, the Brotherhood officially appealed that decision, but the same day a panel of judges recommended the dissolution of the group's political party, signaling the crackdown on the group is widening.

The group had existed outside of Egyptian law for decades and was only formally registered as an NGO in March 2013.

Hundreds of Brotherhood supporters have been killed and thousands more arrested since the military coup that ousted Morsi from the presidency in July.
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