Cairo: A security official says Egyptian authorities have arrested a leading Muslim Brotherhood member who played key role in negotiations between his now-banned group and the government.
The official says the arrest of Mohammed Ali Bishr early Thursday from his home in the Nile Delta was linked to a call for demonstrations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
The demonstrations he referred to were called by a hard-line Salafi group, and not the Muslim Brotherhood.
Egypt has waged a sweeping crackdown on the Brotherhood since the military ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 following mass demonstrations demanding his resignation. Morsi is among tens of thousands of members who have been detained.
