Defense Minister and Army General al-Sisi addressed the Egyptian military about the state of Egypt today. In the speech, al-Sisi defended both the role of the military in Egypt’s transition and the military’s handling of the Muslim Brotherhood. He accused Morsi of fighting with the judiciary, the media, the police, public opinion, and the SCAF.
The state prosecutor froze the assets of 14 people involved in agitating for the “release and reinstatement” of Mohamed Morsi as President. Among those whose assets were frozen were prominent Muslim Brotherhood figures, such as financier and strategist Khairat el-Shater, spiritual leader (and Supreme Guide) Mohamed Badie, and political leader Saad Al-Katatni. Moreover, the prosecutor’s office received complaints against Morsi and Freedom and Justice Party leaders, prompting additional probes. Separately, Morsi’s former Minister for Local Development Dr. Mohamed Ali Bishr stated that the Muslim Brotherhood was in communication with senior Egyptian military officials to discuss possible compromises on governance moving forward. However, Bishr noted that a requirement for the Brotherhood would be the reinstatement of Morsi as President.
ElBaradei Sworn in as Egypt’s VP for Foreign Affairs | AP
The interim government began to take final form, with Mohamed El-Baradei being sworn in as the new interim Vice President for foreign relations. Nabil Fahmy, former ambassador to the United States, accepted the offer of foreign minister, economist Ahmed Galal took the post of finance minister, and Hisham Zaazou remained as tourism minister.
A bus convoy transporting cement factory workers was attacked outside of the city of Arish in Northern Sinai. According to witnesses and a later statement by the Egyptian military, the attackers appeared to have an armored personnel carrier as their target, but they missed and hit the bus with an RPG. At least 3 died and 17 people were injured.
Lastly, US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns arrived in Egypt to hold meetings with civil society and business leaders over the coming days.