Muslim Brotherhood links to dead Egyptian journalist

Egypt’s Press Syndicate is conducting an investigation into a leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Ahmed Sobei, following accusations over his complicity in attacks on peaceful demonstrators in front of Cairo’s Presidential Palace. The attacks resulted in the death of Egyptian journalist al-Husseini Abu Deif, a photojournalist working for al-Fagr, in December last year, after he was shot in the head while covering protests. Sobei, a leading spokesperson for the Freedom and Justice Party [FJP], claimed a Press Syndicate committee had conducted investigations with defence witnesses, who had denied the accusations against him. The Muslim Brotherhood figure blamed National Salvation Front [NSF] members for the complaints. The charges were political in nature, he claimed, and the claimants should be investigated themselves. Sobei has offered a number of recordings allegedly proving he was involved in a live broadcast at one of Egypt’s satellite channels while the bloody clashes were taking place. He meanwhile demanded Syndicate member Abeer el-Saady call witnesses to prove his role in releasing Egyptian journalist Shimaa Adel from a Sudanese prison, in conjunction with the Egyptian presidency. “I support the freedom and dignity of the press,” Sobei claimed.