Egypt arrests more Brotherhood leaders in new raids

Egyptian security forces arrested several leading Muslim Brotherhood members in fresh raids early Saturday. Former lawmaker for the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Ahmed Sayed was arrested in the Upper Egyptian province of Minya. In the southern Fayoum province, security forces arrested Hamdi Awad, head of the local teachers syndicate, in a raid on his home. Security forces also raided the home of Brotherhood member Mustafa Tawfiq, but did not find him.

Former FJP lawmaker Sayed Heikal was also detained in the southern Beni Sueif province.

Security forces also raided the homes of nine prominent Brotherhood members in the canal city of Suez, but failed to arrest any of them.

The latest raids came hours after security forces arrested four leading Brotherhood members, including former FJP lawmaker Al-Sayed al-Qadi, in the northern province of Qalioubiya.

Brotherhood member Ahmed Murad was also detained by security forces in the canal city of Suez on Friday.

In the southern province of Assiut, security forces arrested eight Brotherhood members who had blocked a road during a rally on Friday in support of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Three Brotherhood members were also arrested in police raids on their homes in the Upper Egyptian Aswan province, Brotherhood sources told Anadolu Agency.

Security forces also raided the homes of three other group members in Aswan and seized their personal computers.

In Beni Sueif, security forces arrested Mohamed Ramadan, the driver of Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie (who was arrested on Tuesday), and leading Brotherhood member Mohamed Abdel-Azzim.

Egyptian authorities have unleashed a massive crackdown on the Islamist group since last week's violent dispersal of two sit-ins staged by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

On Thursday, security forces arrested five leading Brotherhood members, including FJP legal adviser Ahmed Abu Baraka and former Alexandria deputy governor Hassan al-Prince.