CAIRO — Egypt's cabinet Wednesday tasked police to take “all necessary measures” to end protests by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, warning that their demonstrations pose a national security threat. “The continuation of the dangerous situation in Rabaa Al-Adawiya and Nahda Squares, and consequent terrorism and road blockages are no longer acceptable given the threat to national security,” it said in a statement. Morsi's supporters have been camped out in both squares demanding his reinstatement. “The government has decided to take all necessary measures to confront and end these dangers, and tasks the interior minister to do all that is necessary in this regard, in accordance with the constitution and law,” the statement read. Minutes earlier, judicial sources said authorities had referred the Brotherhood's supreme guide, Mohammed Badie, and two of its senior officials to court on charges of inciting violence. Badie has not been detained so far. Such steps have raised global concern that Egypt's army-backed rulers will try to crush the Brotherhood, which emerged from decades in the shadows to win successive elections and take power after a 2011 revolt toppled veteran ruler Hosni Mubarak. The Brotherhood, which has sworn to keep up its street vigils until Morsi is reinstated, was defiant after the cabinet statement threatening to remove the protest camps. “We don't recognize this government and we don't recognize the authorities or the laws they represent,” spokesman Gehad El-Haddad said. Asked about the possibility of a crackdown, he said: “They tried to do that twice and they failed. They killed 200 protesters. Do they want to try that again?” Last Friday the army urged Egyptians to take to the streets to give it a “mandate” to crack down on terrorism, a code-word used by the military for the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood. — Agencies
