Egypt seizes assets of more than 500 Muslim Brotherhood leaders

CAIRO, Egypt – A senior Egyptian Justice Ministry official says the assets of more than 500 leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, from which the country’s ousted president hails, have been ordered confiscated.

Abdel-Azzem el-Ashri said Tuesday that a ministerial inventory committee ordered the “movable and immovable properties” of 572 Muslim Brotherhood leaders seized.

The order is part of a wider state crackdown on the Brotherhood, first banned by a court order and then dubbed by the military-backed government as “terrorist” organization by linking it to a wave of terrorist attacks targeting security forces without publicly presenting any evidence.

The group denies being involved in the attacks and continues to hold near-daily protests demanding the reinstatement of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, toppled in a July 3 military coup after millions rallied against him.