A fugitive senior Muslim Brotherhood leader, Essam el-Erian, has been detained by the Egyptian authorities. Prosecutors ordered his arrest in July, after the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi.
The arrest is the latest action in a government crackdown against the Islamist movement which is now banned.
Mr. Erian is expected to stand trial next week along with Mr. Morsi and a dozen other officials.
A Muslim Brotherhood spokesman told the journalists that Mr. Erian was arrested early on Wednesday at an apartment in the New Cairo area and taken to an undisclosed location.
“I am confident I will be out of prison after putting an end to the coup,” he said.
The interior ministry issued a photo of Mr. Erian smiling right after the arrest.
Mr. Erian is vice chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood’s political wing.
According to the reports, he used to be a very public face of the Muslim Brotherhood before going into hiding.
The trial over the former President is scheduled on November 4. Mr. Morsi is charged with inciting murder and violence in relation to clashes outside the presidential palace in December 2012.
Separately, the three presiding judges at the trial of Mohammed Badie, the Brotherhood’s general guide, and his deputy, Khairat al-Shatir, stepped down on Tuesday, halting proceedings.
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