Egypt's Brotherhood ramps up calls for protests

         
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is ramping up calls for nationwide protests, urging people to take to the streets against the new military-backed government.                 
In a pre-recorded message aired late Wednesday on one of Al-Jazeera's Arabic news channels, top Brotherhood figure Essam el-Erian called on people to rise against the "failed, bloody military regime."                 

The Interior Ministry says its police forces are on high alert in preparation for the protests, which have turned deadly.                                 

However, Egypt's official news agency says the interim government has deemed Al-Jazeera's local affiliate a national threat, moving closer to banning its broadcasts.                     

The MENA news agency says three government ministers met Thursday and issued a statement saying that Al-Jazeera Mubashir Misr is operating "illegally" and using satellite transmitters without license.                 

The agency says the ministers allege that the station is resented for spreading "rumors and claims which are harmful to Egyptian national security and threaten the country's unity."               

Hundreds of Brotherhood members have been killed and arrested since the July 3 coup that ousted President Mohammed Morsi, a longtime leader in the Islamist group. 


AP