CAIRO (AP) - An investigating judge has ordered the detention of Egypt's ousted president over alleged contacts with Hamas to help in his escape from prison in 2011, the official state news agency reported Friday in the first official word on Mohammed Morsi's status since he was overthrown by the military on July 3.
The announcement came hours before mass protests were set to take place across the nation in response to a call by military chief Gen. Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi for a show of popular support for his anticipated crackdown on Morsi's supporters and radical Islamists loyal to the ousted leader who have been attacking security forces in the strategic Sinai Peninsula.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which Morsi hails, also called for mass protests on Friday.
Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators filled Cairo's streets and squares Friday, July 26 in rival rallies shortly after deposed president Mohamed Morsi was formally charged and detained for 15 days. Tahrir Square was packed with crowds responding to Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's call for a mandate to support the military fight on "terrorists." Another huge crowd of Morsi supporters packed the streets around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in Nasser City. Instead of directing their ire at the overthrown Muslim Brotherhood, the pro-military demonstrators shouted "Bye Bye America!" as huge placards waved over their heads depicting as a threesome Gen. El-Sisi, Vladimir Putin and Gemal Abdel Nasser, who ruled Egypt in the 60s in close alliance with the Soviet Union