GLOBAL ECONOMY

Egypt arrests alleged Islamists ahead of revolt anniversary

Associated Press
Published | Updated

FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013 file photo, Egyptian Al Ahly club player Mohamed Aboutrika is embraced by a fan after winning South Africa's Orlando Pirates, at the Arab Contractors stadium in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian authorities on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 have added one of the country's all-time greatest soccer players, Mohamed Aboutrika, to a terror watch and no-fly list over accusations he helped finance the Muslim Brotherhood, now banned as a terrorist organization. Authorities also say they've arrested nine alleged Brotherhood leaders for planning to "disrupt order and security" on the upcoming Jan. 25 anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. (AP Photo/Osama Abdel Naby, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013 file photo, Egypt's midfielder Mohamed Aboutrika is seen at the World Cup qualifying playoff second leg soccer match, at the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian authorities on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 have added one of the country's all-time greatest soccer players, Mohamed Aboutrika, to a terror watch and no-fly list over accusations he helped finance the Muslim Brotherhood, now banned as a terrorist organization. Authorities also say they've arrested nine alleged Brotherhood leaders for planning to "disrupt order and security" on the upcoming Jan. 25 anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013 file photo, Egyptian Al Ahly club player Mohamed Aboutrika is embraced by a fan after winning South Africa's Orlando Pirates, at the Arab Contractors stadium in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian authorities on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017 have added one of the country's all-time greatest soccer players, Mohamed Aboutrika, to a terror watch and no-fly list over accusations he helped finance the Muslim Brotherhood, now banned as a terrorist organization. Authorities also say they've arrested nine alleged Brotherhood leaders for planning to "disrupt order and security" on the upcoming Jan. 25 anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. (AP Photo/Osama Abdel Naby, File) (The Associated Press)

Egyptian authorities say they have arrested nine alleged Muslim Brotherhood leaders for planning to "disrupt order and security" on the upcoming anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that the men had scheduled meetings a day earlier in Cairo and had plans "aimed at provoking public opinion by exploiting the economic situation the country is going through and coordinating with extremist entities."

It accused the group, which authorities have branded a terrorist organization, of planning to fabricate crises, in particular among "the masses and workers."

Security forces have cracked down on attempts to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 25 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, particularly since 2013, when the military overthrew his Islamist successor.