Hamas denounces Egypt over Morsi detention as clashes break out in Cairo

CAIRO - Agence France-Presse

Egyptian supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi hold up his portrait and wave their national flag. AFP Photo

Gaza's Hamas rulers slammed Egypt on Friday after a Cairo court ordered that ousted president Mohamed Morsi be detained for questioning over alleged ties with the Palestinian militant group.
 
"Hamas condemns this move since it is based on the premise that the Hamas movement is hostile," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.
 
"This is a dangerous development, which confirms that the current powers in Egypt are giving up on national causes and even using these issues to deal with other parties -- first among them the Palestinian cause." Morsi will be quizzed on whether he collaborated with Hamas in attacks on police stations and prison breaks in early 2011, in which the Islamist and other political inmates escaped during the revolt against strongman Hosni Mubarak, according to a Friday report by Egypt's official MENA news agency.
 
The allegations are being investigated by a Cairo court that was tasked to determine how inmates broke out of a prison in late January that year, after accusations Morsi's Islamist group sought the help of Hamas.

Clashes in Cairo

Clashes broke out between supporters and opponents of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in the Cairo neighbourhood of Shubra on Friday, witnesses told AFP. The clashes erupted early in the afternoon, the witnesses said. Live footage on satellite station ONTV showed crowds throwing rocks at each other in the neighbourhood.
 
Morsi's supporters and backers of the military that overthrew him on July 3 are both staging rival rallies across Egypt.
 
Witnesses said the clashes in Cairo began after Morsi's opponents, who rallied at the behest of the military, burned posters of the ousted Islamist leader.