Another media war erupted between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Armed Forces after the Brotherhood published alleged military leaks on Thursday.

POLITICS

Muslim Brotherhood and military face off over alleged leaked SCAF recording
Another media war erupted between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Armed Forces after the Brotherhood published alleged military leaks on Thursday. Audio recordings of a purported phone conversation between Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) members Mamdouh Shahin and Osama al-Gendy were circulated on the Islamist Mekameleen channel and the pro-Brotherhood Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr satellite channel. In the conversation, Shahin tells Gendy that the criminal charges against ousted President Mohamed Morsi could be dismissed, because he was illegally detained by the military between July 3 and July 7, 2013. Shahin allegedly planned with the interior minister to fabricate documents showing Morsi’s detention in a ministry approved facility. The leak also shows that the head of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s office ordered both Shahin and Gendy to take measures to prevent the criminal cases against Morsi from being dismissed. One security source said that the recordings were faked to sow division between the people and the state, blaming “hostile foreign intelligence services and the Muslim Brotherhood.” The prosecutor general’s office announced a criminal investigation into the leak that aims to spread false news, sow chaos, and disparage public officials. [Mada Masr, Aswat Masriya (Arabic), Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 12/5/2014]

The Salafi Front withdraws from the National Alliance to Support Legitimacy
The Salafi Front announced, late Thursday, its withdrawal from the pro-Muslim Brotherhood National Alliance to Support Legitimacy (NASL). In a statement on their official Facebook page, the Front explained that they prioritize the issue of identity “…that is being overshadowed by what is called consensus.” The group claimed that their work outside the alliance will guarantee more freedom and revolutionary action that is consistent with their visions. NASL included a number of Islamist groups and parties, many of which have withdrawn for different reasons. [Ahram Online, 12/5/2014]

Minister of transitional justice says no plans to draft law criminalizing insulting Egypt revolutions
Minister of Transitional Justice Ibrahim al-Heneidy said that the ministry has no plans to draft a law that criminalizes insulting the January 25 and June 30 uprisings. Sources within the cabinet’s legislation reform committee also confirmed that they have not received any information on the draft bill. [Youm7 (Arabic), 12/4/2014]

Also of Interest
Nour: 80 percent of candidate list completed, 25 percent on independent list | Shorouk (Arabic)
New law forbids government employees to talk politics at work | Egypt Independent

COURTS

Trial of fifteen Judges for Egypt members postponed to December 25
The disciplinary committee at the Cairo Appeal Court postponed the trial of fifteen judges belonging to the Judges for Egypt movement to December 25. A lawsuit was filed accusing them of monitoring the 2012 presidential elections in an unofficial capacity, of supporting the Brotherhood and participating in the pro-Morsi sit-in at Raba’a al-Adaweya, as well as interfering in politics, in violation of the judiciary law.  [Shorouk (Arabic), 12/4/2014]

Also of Interest
2012 claim against Bibliotheca Alexandrina workers sent to court | Ahram Online
Alexandria trial of 71 Brotherhood members for illegal protests to begin on Sunday | EGYNews (Arabic)
Legislative amendments to prosecute citizens engaged in foreign “terrorist” organizations | Shorouk (Arabic)

ECONOMY

Delegation of eleven major US companies to visit Egypt on Monday
A US delegation, including eleven major companies, will visit Cairo next Monday in order to explore investment opportunities in the field of infrastructure, and new and renewable energy. The delegation will meet a number of Egyptian officials and ministers, and the US embassy in Cairo is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday on the occasion of the visit. [SIS, 12/5/2014]

Also of Interest
Palm Hills bets on commercial property as Egypt’s economy recovers | Reuters
President Sisi requests raising performance rates in development projects | SIS, Ahram (Arabic)
New canal to change position of economy for next five centuries, says finance minister | SIS
EU, Japan welcome investment in two projects in Egypt | SIS
Protocol between Egypt, Greece for increasing investment | SIS
Tourism ministry to discuss five projects in the Red Sea and North Coast in the Economic Summit | Shorouk (Arabic)

SOCIETY & MEDIA

Security forces disperse protest in Abdel Moneim Riad Square
Security forces dispersed a protest called for by the April 6 Youth Movement, Strong Egypt, and the Revolutionary Socialists, on Friday morning in Abdel Moneim Riad Square. Around 150 protesters gathered near Tahrir Square, chanting against the government. Police fired teargas to disperse the protest. A protest in Talaat Harb Square was also dispersed by the police.  Security forces had closed all entrances to Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo on Friday in anticipation of the protest, and a number of police missions are also patrolling Cairo’s streets, to make sure that “gatherings or marches are not blocking roads,” Lieutenant colonel Mohammed Bendari, supervisor at Cairo Traffic Directorate said. The Gamal Abdel Nasser metro station was also closed on Friday for security reasons. Security was stepped up across the country, including in Minya, Alexandria, and Suez. [Shorouk (Arabic), Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya, Ahram Gateway (Arabic), 12/5/2014]

Also of Interest
Young Arabs make their voices heard at Moltaqa Conference | Ahram Online
Workers activist detained for ‘insulting president’ released | Ahram Online
Online freedom declines, amid NSA effect | AFP
Coke workers suspend sit-in, CEO released, removed | Egypt Independent
Four Egyptian churches reject civil marriage law | Ahram (Arabic)

SECURITY

Fight between military officer, policeman trigger police sit-in
Policemen held a sit-in outside the Moqattam police station Thursday evening to protest the alleged suspension of Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Hedeya due to a fight with a military officer. Director of Cairo Security Ali al-Demerdash, however, denied that Hedeya was suspended. Hedaya’s colleagues at Moqattam police station held their sit-in after they heard he would be referred to military prosecution after he was reported by the military officer. [Cairo Post, 12/5/2014]

Also of Interest
Egyptian policeman injured in Cairo explosion | Ahram Online, Aswat Masriya
Two injured in explosion at a house in al-Arish | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Ajnad Masr claims responsibility for bomb in Ain Shams University | Ahram Gateway (Arabic)

INTERNATIONAL

Egyptian officials accuse US of violating rights in Ferguson
Cairo officials have verbally attacked US authorities, accusing them of violating human rights during protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Egyptian politicians called for the formation of an Egyptian fact-finding committee to track what they called breaches by US authorities against protesters in Ferguson, while the Egyptian Foreign Ministry issued an official statement criticizing US police treatment of protesters in the wake of the grand jury decision not to make an indictment. The statement further called on US authorities to observe self-restraint and to respect the right of individuals to peacefully assemble. Moreover, Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman Hani Abdel Latif said US police used excessive force against peaceful protesters as if they were dealing with arms dealers. [Al Monitor, 12/4/2014]

Also of Interest
Egypt urges neighboring countries to back Libya | Egypt Independent, SIS
Egypt places travel restriction to Turkey fearing “involvement in acts of violence” | Aswat Masriya (Arabic)
Egypt sends medical assistance to Sierra Leone to combat Ebola | Shorouk (Arabic)