Egypt arrests Muslim Brotherhood top leader

The supreme guide of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Badie speaks during a news conference at the Brotherhood's main office in Cairo in this Dec 8, 2012 file photo. Egyptian security forces have arrested the top leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, state media reported on Aug 20, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

CAIRO - General Guide of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Mohamed Badie was arrested by police in Cairo, official news agency MENA reported early Tuesday, citing a security source.

He has been transferred with intensive security measures to Torah prison, where former President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons are detained, the report said.

Badie was arrested in an apartment in Tayran street in northeastern Nasr City district of Cairo. The street is just behind Rabaa al-Adawiya Square, one of the two sites where supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi used to rally.

Also, two Brotherhood leading members, Youssef Talaat and Hassan Maleik, were arrested along with Badie.

On July 4, just one day after the ouster of Morsi, Egyptian acting prosecutor general Ahmed Ezz el-Din ordered an arrest warrant against the Brotherhood top leader over charges of inciting the killing of anti-Morsi protesters.

Badie's deputy, Kirate El-Shater, was also on the arrest warrant, as investigations revealed that they had hired thugs to kill Morsi's opponents at the Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo's Muqattam district.