Morsi in detention, turmoil engulfs Egypt

Morsi in detention, turmoil engulfs Egypt

Egypt is in turmoil. Egypt’s powerful military ousted the country’s first democratically elected President Mohammed Morsi and suspended the constitution after the 48-hour army deadline for him to meet people’s demands expired.

Egyptian army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, in a televised statement to the nation, said President Morsi was replaced by the chief justice of constitutional court, a year after he was elected.

Egypt army suspended the constitution and announced early presidential elections. Millions of protesters nationwide who were demanding Mr Morsi’s ouster cheered the move by the army. Mr Al-Sisi said the military was fulfilling its “historic responsibility” to protect the country by ousting Morsi.

Mr Morsi failed to meet demands to share power with opponents who thronged the streets of Cairo, and those crowds erupted as the announcement was made. Ahead of the statement, troops moved into key positions around the capital and surrounded a demonstration by Mr Morsi’s supporters in a Cairo suburb.

Mr Morsi has been charged with contacts with terrorists and aiding jail-breaks, which led to the escape of several Muslim Brotherhood activists, including himself, during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak. He has been detained and held at an undisclosed location.

The Egyptian military moved into key sites in Cairo hours after its ultimatum passed for Morsi to resolve the political crisis.

Mr Morsi, in an effort to arrive at consensus, had reaffirmed his call for a national dialogue and the formation of a panel to amend the country’s controversial Islamist-drafted constitution. He had insisted on continuing as the President.