Both sides in Egypt chose to escalate the conflict. Muslim Brotherhood leaders who fled and settled abroad decided to defy the regime, justifying the killings in Sinai and threatening the current government. As for the prosecutor, he chose to submit a petition against the imprisoned Brotherhood senior leaders accusing them of two charges that can lead to the gallows: Spying and jailbreak.
The opinion of the Grand Mufti of Egypt is yet to be announced before the final court hearing. But the question remains: Will these provisions be implemented? Will deposed President Mursi be executed? Will they execute the Brotherhood’s General Guide Mohammad Badie and leading member of the organization Khairat El-Shater, as well as a large number of members and ministers who served when the Brotherhood was in power?
The possibility of executing Brotherhood leaders and members cannot be ruled out. Sayyid Qutb was executed in 1966 on similar charges — conspiring against Egypt. The current political climate is similar to the 1960s. High-ranked convicts will be led to the gallows, without taking into account calls for clemency and mediations, which are expected to arise after the potential confirmation of sentences. A state of defiance and tension is prevailing in Egypt; the Egyptian regime believes that the Muslim Brotherhood is still waging a war against the country and that its leaders living abroad may want to have another “Sayyid Qutb” case to exploit in their political battle.
It is also believed that the Brotherhood is no longer able to control the practices and statements of its leaders who became hostages to external forces aiming to expand the circle of conflict inside Egypt. This is at least what an Arab Muslim Brotherhood member believes. He thinks that the Brotherhood lost its genuine leadership when it gained power, then failed in presidential rule and ended up in prisons. The rulings have entangled all Brotherhood leaders because they failed to remain aware of what is happening around them; they got involved in the battle and became easy targets. He believes that the group lacks leadership and that is what makes governments that are “at war” with Egypt, take advantage and exploit the group in the media and on political and military fronts. Consequently, there is no longer a chance of resorting to reconciliation or lenient sentences.
No one wants to witness bloodshed in Sinai or in Cairo, regardless of anything. It seems that President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi needs to step in to control the situation in the country and he has the constitutional right to do so.
