The Ministry of Interior announced the arrests of 13 individuals purportedly belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood, and involved in carrying out attacks on police installations. The ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the prosecution had issued arrest warrants against them. Of the arrested, 11 are wanted for "firing shots and using force against the police" and two are wanted for "joining the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organisation". The Brotherhood was designated a terrorist organisation by the government in December. The 13 individuals were brought in by the Kerdasa police station in a security campaign targeting Kerdasa and nearby villages of Nahia and Bani Magdoul. On 14 August 2013, a deadly attack on the Kerdasa police station left 11 police personnel dead. On the same day security forces dispersed the Rabaa Al-Adaweya and Al-Nahda sit-ins, both organised in support of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, leaving hundreds dead. The violence was not just restricted to the village of Kerdasa, which lies close to the Giza plateau that hosts the Giza Pyramids, but also occurred in the nearby village of Nahia. Kerdasa was in upheaval from that day until 19 September 2013, when security forces launched a massive operation which included police and military personnel. 188 people were accused of breaking into the Kerdasa police station and murdering the police personnel and are facing trial. The interior ministry said the 13 arrested have been presented to prosecution, which has started investigating them.
