Egyptian prosecutors issue arrest warrants for MB officials

Deputy leader of Brotherhood Khairat al-Shater (L) and former supreme guide Mahdi Akef Public prosecutors in Egypt have issued arrest warrants for two senior Muslim Brotherhood officials and an Islamist preacher, in relation to the deaths of anti-government protesters outside the Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo.
Essam el-Erian, Mohamed el-Beltagy and Sefwat Hagazi are facing charges of incitement to violence during the recent June 30 demonstrations, including the killing of protesters and attacks on prisons during the 2011 uprising.
Deputy leader of the Brotherhood, Khairat al-Shater and former supreme guide Mahdi Akef have already been questioned about the allegations.
Judicial sources said the charges include inciting violence, murdering police officers and hiring snipers to kill protesters.
Shater has pleaded non guilty to the charges, and accused the national security services of setting him up.
During his testimony, ?Brotherhood sniper Mostafa Mohamed admitted to killing protesters who had converged on the MB headquarters, upon the orders of Brotherhood ?leaders who had provided him with weapons.?
The sniper told authorities that around 250 Brotherhood members defended the building with ?rifles machine guns, successfully preventing protesters from ?breaking into the building.
Akef also denied all the charges against him, arguing that due his ailing health he no longer plays a active role in the Islamist organisation.
He claimed to have had limited contact with Brotherhood officials since Mohammed Badie succeeded him as supreme guide.
Shater and Akef will be held at Tora prison, on the outskirts of Cairo, for a 15-day period for further questioning.
Eight protesters were killed and 70 others injured during clashes outside the Brotherhood headquarters on June 30.