Egypt to clamp down on Al Jazeera channel

According to latest reports, Egypt's military-backed government is to clamp down on Al Jazeera's Egyptian television channel.

The channel has been accused of threatening national security.

This week it aired statements from two leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, including a call for protests today against Egypt's new rulers.

The army toppled Islamist president Mohammed Mursi last month after nationwide protests and security forces have arrested most of the movement's leaders and killed hundreds of its supporters.

The ministers of investment, communications and information said in a statement that the channel, Al Jazeera Mubashir Misr, was operating without a licence.

The three ministers said unspecified legal measures would be taken against the Qatari-owned channel "given the threat it poses to national security".

The channel began broadcasting after the 2011 uprising that ousted autocratic former president Hosni Mubarak.

It has been accused by critics of being sympathetic to Mr Mursi's Brotherhood, which Qatar supports.

Its offices in Cairo have been closed since 3 July, when they were raided by security forces hours after Mr Mursi was toppled, although it has continued to broadcast from Qatar.

Ayman Gaballah, the head of the channel, said the accusations were fabricated.

"We are not facing a legal problem but rather an issue of freedom of expression," he said.

He added that their licence clearly states the channel can operate in Egypt.

One of the Brotherhood leaders who appeared on the channel, Mohamed El-Beltagi, was arrested yesterday.

The other, Essam El-Erian, is still free.

The two had earlier this week called on the Egyptian people to protest today to bring down the "bloody military coup".
Egyptian police have threatened to use live rounds at planned anti-government rallies.

In addition to pursuing the Brotherhood's leaders, accusing them of inciting violence, Egypt's new rulers have tried to prevent the movement communicating with supporters by shutting down television stations sympathetic to it.