Egypt accuses Muslim Brotherhood of financing al-Qaeda-linked extremists

Egypt's interior minister has accused the Muslim Brotherhood of financing radical Islamists linked to al-Qaeda for launching a series of terrorist acts since President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July.

Mohamed Ibrahim announced that the Egyptian security forces had arrested more than 50 members of "extremist groups" with ties to the network founded by slain Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and now led by his Egyptian successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, News24 reports.

According to the report, the suspects were connected with attacks on police and soldiers, and killed more than 100 people since the army deposed President Morsi on July 3.

Ibrahim said that some of these had been pardoned of offences during Morsi's rule, and some were linked to jihadist groups Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in the Sinai and the Libya-based Ansar al-Sharia.

Mohammed al-Zawahiri, brother of the al-Qaeda chief, was one amongst them. He was detained in August, after being freed in the 2011 revolt that ousted Hosni Mubarak, the report added.