Egypt considers disbanding Muslim Brotherhood

A medical team enters the al-Fatah mosque to evacuate wounded people and bodies, following a day of fierce street battles that left scores of people dead, near Ramses Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday.

Egyptian authorities are considering disbanding the Muslim Brotherhood group, spokesman for the Egyptian Cabinet said.

Spokesman Sherif Shawki said on Saturday that Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi has asked the Ministry of Social Solidarity to study the legal possibilities of dissolving the group. He didn’t elaborate.

The Muslim Brotherhood group, founded in 1928, came to power a year ago when its leader Mohamed Morsy was elected in the country’s first free Presidential elections. The election came after the overthrow of long-time autocratic President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr. Morsy was overthrown in a popularly backed military coup on July 3.

The Brotherhood rocketed to power after decades of being a banned group in Egypt. While sometimes tolerated, its leaders often faced long bouts of imprisonment.