Morsi accuses Egypt’s military chief of treason

Ousted Islamist president accuses Gen Abdel-Fattah El Sisi of violating his oath of loyalty, saying he committed 'treason against the while nation by driving a wedge among the people of Egypt'.

CAIRO // Egypt’s former president, Mohammed Morsi, accused the military chief who deposed him of treason in a message from prison read by lawyers yesterday.

The statement was part of a bid by Mr Morsi to rally his supporters since his emergence from the secret military detention where he had been held, with virtually no contact with the outside world, since he was removed from power on July 3.

Mr Morsi was moved to a high-security civilian penitentiary last week after the first session of his trial on charges of inciting murder while president. There, he had his first extensive meeting with a team of lawyers from his Muslim Brotherhood and other allies on Tuesday, dictating the “message to the Egyptian people” to them.

Mr Morsi’s statement lay down a hard line, praising his Islamist supporters for their “steadfastness”.

“The coup has begun to fall apart and will topple in the face of the steadfastness of the Egyptian people,” he said in the statement, read by the lawyers at a press conference. His lawyers stressed that they had taken notes from Mr Morsi and articulated the message themselves.

He said defence minister Gen Abdel-Fattah El Sisi, who heads the military, had violated his oath of loyalty and committed “treason against the whole nation by driving a wedge among the people of Egypt”.

Mr Morsi, 62, also gave his first account of his detention. He said was “kidnapped forcefully and against my will” on July 2, a day before Gen El Sisi announced the installation of a new interim president.

He said he was kept in a Republican Guards facility for three days, then moved to a naval base.

Military and security officials refused to divulge where Mr Morsi was kept until his trial, citing concerns for his safety. Mr Morsi also said he did not meet any military leaders during his detention.

In his trial, Mr Norsi has so far refused to accept legal representation, insisting he remains the elected president and that the tribunal against him is illegitimate.

In the trial’s first session – Mr Morsi’s first public appearance since his ousting – he spoke out defiantly, portraying himself as president.

Associated Press