Brotherhood picks new leader

CAIRO – The Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that propelled Mohammed Morsi to the Egyptian presidency before his recent ouster, named an interim leader Tuesday.

The move came hours after Egyptian authorities arrested the previous head of the Muslim Brotherhood and as the group appeared to be fracturing under the pressure of a continued government crackdown. For the third day, the Brotherhood failed to galvanize supporters for mass street demonstrations.

Mohammed Badie, 70, was the latest of at least a dozen top leaders detained or charged by Egyptian authorities since Morsi was bounced from the presidency on July 3. Badie is charged with inciting violence and murder over the killing in June of eight anti-Brotherhood protesters outside the movement’s headquarters.

With its leadership stripped away, the hierarchical Brotherhood appeared to struggle to issue orders and to rally people to the streets.

The Brotherhood announced on its website Tuesday that Mahmoud Ezzat, 69, Badie’s deputy, “will assume the role of supreme guide of the group on a temporary basis.”

McClatchy-Tribune