Egyptian authorities have arrested the Muslim Brotherhood leader Mahmoud Ezzat, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry on Friday. He was apprehended at an apartment in the Fifth Settlement district, in eastern Cairo.
Ezzat was named as the interim leader of the outlawed group to replace Mohammad Badie. Before his appointment, he served as the secretary-general of the Islamist movement and was a member of its guidance council.
According to the statement, Ezzat founded the Muslim Brotherhood armed wing and oversaw several terrorist operations committed by the organization in Egypt since 30 June 2013 Revolution.
These operations include the assassination of former general prosecutor Hisham Barakat in 2015, the assassination of Police Colonel Wael Tahoon in 2015, the assassination of Egyptian army’s ninth armour division Major Adel Ragaai in 2016, and the National Cancer Institute terrorist operation in 2019, killing 20 people and injuring dozens others.
