CAIRO — Egyptian security forces arrested a key Muslim Brotherhood figure on the run since the July coup that ousted the country's Islamist president after a raid on his hideout early Wednesday, the Interior Ministry said.
The arrest of Essam el-Erian, the deputy leader of the Brotherhood's political arm, the Freedom and Justice party, was the latest in a wide-ranging crackdown and prosecution of both the Islamist group's leaders and its rank-and-file since the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi, who also hails from the Brotherhood.
Morsi, himself in detention, is held at an undisclosed military location since his ouster on July 3. He is facing charges of inciting supporters to murder his opponents while in office. Morsi's trial is due to begin next week, and it is not yet clear if the 69-year old ousted president will appear in court.
El-Erian is also one of the defendants in the Morsi trial, which opens Nov. 4. He is accused of inciting Brotherhood followers to break up anti-Morsi protesters gathered outside the presidential palace late last year.