Egypt army gives Brotherhood 48 hours to join roadmap- official

      
Egypt's army gave the Muslim Brotherhood until Saturday afternoon to sign up to political reconciliation, a military official said on Thursday, after the army issued a veiled threat to use tougher tactics against the group.              

"We will not initiate any move, but will definitely react harshly against any calls for violence or black terrorism from Brotherhood leaders or their supporters. We pledge to protect peaceful protesters regardless of their affiliation," the official said, saying they had 48-hours to comply.                 
This comes after the Muslim Brotherhood's leader made an unusually harsh attack on Egypt's military chief, saying his ouster of President Mohammed Morsi was worse than destroying the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine.                  

The analogy appeared aimed at whipping up religious sentiments on the eve of mass rallies promoted by Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as a show of support for planned action by the military and the police to stop "violence and terrorism" by Morsi's mainly Islamist supporters.                  
Divisions between the two sides grew even more entrenched as the youth group behind the wave of protests that led to the July 3 military coup against Morsi threw its support behind the military, urging Egyptians to participate in Friday's demonstrations.                 

The army deposed President Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood politician, on July 3 and installed an interim administration that has set out a roadmap for a new political transition leading to parliamentary elections in about six months.   

Reactions:             

The White House urged the Egyptian military to exercise "maximum restraint" and to do its utmost to prevent clashes between rival protesters.
            
White House spokesman Josh Earnest also said Washington was concerned about "any rhetoric that inflames tension" after Egyptian army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on Egyptians to take to the streets to show their support.                

"The administration has urged the security forces to exercise maximum restraint and caution," Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Barack Obama headed for Florida.         

On the economic level:        

The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it will not engage in talks about a possible $4.8 billion loan to Egypt until the country's interim government gains recognition from the international community.           

IMF deputy spokesman William Murray repeated that the Fund has not been in touch with the current government in Egypt, only with bureaucrats on the technical level.                      


REUTERS/AP