(AP) A fugitive leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has denied accusations his group is committing acts of "terrorism" following the coup that toppled the country's president.
Mohammed el-Beltagy's address, which aired Tuesday, comes as the Brotherhood plans new demonstrations to defy a crippling security crackdown that has put most of its senior and mid-level leadership behind bars. Among those detained Monday was 25-year-old U.S. citizen Mohamed Soltan, the son of outspoken Brotherhood figure Salah Soltan, family and security officials said.
El-Beltagy, a former lawmaker, is wanted himself on accusations of inciting violence and has been hunted by authorities for nearly three weeks. In a videotaped message aired by Al-Jazeera Mubasher Misr, an affiliate of the Qatar-based broadcaster, el-Beltagy said that authorities were trying to turn a "political crisis" into a security problem by accusing his group of orchestrating a terrorism campaign.
Egypt's media, almost uniformly anti-Brotherhood after the closure of Islamist television stations, have described the crackdown as a "war against terrorism."
"Don't be fooled by these lies and deception that aim to label us with terrorism, violence, (and) killing ... at a time when the hands of the coup regime are drowned in blood," el-Beltagy said.
El-Beltagy went into hiding earlier this month after authorities violently broke up protest encampments held by supporters of President Mohammed Morsi, overthrown July 3 by the military after days of mass protests against him. Hundreds died in the crackdown, including el-Beltagy's daughter.
In retaliation, Morsi supporters attacked police stations, government buildings and churches. Hundreds of Brotherhood members, the group's top leaders and Morsi supporters were arrested, many accused of orchestrating and taking part in violence.
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