Army and police forces arrested 18 people they described as extremists in a security operation in the Sinai Peninsula on Monday, a source from the interior ministry said.

Egypt's military-backed authorities attempted to silence deposed president Mohammed Morsi yesterday by surrounding the dock of the court where he is facing espionage charges with thick, soundproof glass.

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups have denounced Sunday's deadly bomb attack in South Sinai on a tourist bus and called for the culprits to be brought to justice.

A bombing that killed three South Koreans and an Egyptian driver on the Sinai Peninsula targeted a bus filled with Korean Christians who had saved for years to visit sites mentioned in the Bible on their church's 60th anniversary, officials said Monday.

The lawyer representing ousted president Mohamed Morsi and 35 other Muslim Brotherhood figures in Sunday's trial for espionage charges has withdrawn his defence team, prompting the court to appoint 10 new lawyers and postpone the trial until 23 February.

Hamas has denounced the trial of deposed President Mohamed Morsy over accusations of spying for it. Hamas spokesman Salah Bardawil told the Turkish Anadolu news agency on Sunday that “Hamas does not intervene within Egyptian local affairs, but it cares about Hamas being considered by the Egyptian government as an enemy.”

The deputy head of the Salafist Call, Yasser El-Borhamy, has said that the group and its political wing, the Nour Party, will judge which candidate to support in the upcoming presidential elections based on a number of factors.

The Cairo Criminal Court postponed the trial to 23 February as Morsy's defense lawyers withdrew to protest keeping the ousted president and fellow defendants in a soundproof glass dock. The court called off the trial until a new defense team is appointed, according to state-run al-Ahram.

The National Council for Women praised statements made Sunday by the head of the evangelical community in Egypt, Safwat al-Bayadi, in which he said that the synod would meet on April 27 to review a decision that women should be allowed to become priests.

15 members belonging to the April 6 Youth Movement were released on a bail of 5,000 EGP ($720) each after the Court of Appeals objected their detention, following their arrest in a protest without the “permission” from authorities.

The Cairo Criminal Court adjourned Thursday the trial of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie, his deputy Khairat el-Shater and other 15 in the case of inciting violence in front of the MB’s bureau in Moqattam, Cairo, to 16 March.

Anonymous security sources told Youm7 that a number of extremists related to Muslim Brotherhood (MB) formed a militant cell on the Egyptian-Libyan border in cooperation with the International Organization of Muslim Brotherhood.

Salafi-led Nour Party has called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to hold urgent meeting over the ‘genocide’ of Muslims in Central Africa.

Egypt’s deposed leader Mohamed Morsi has described weekly protests supporting him as ‘useless’ and warned that the military leader who led his overthrow may also fall victim to coup if he becomes the country’s next president.

MINYA, Egypt: Minya Criminal Court ordered the release of 108 members of the Muslim Brotherhood with a bail charge of 1000 EGP (U.S. $144) each, after being investigated for breaking into a police station and assaulting public institutions last August, officials said Wednesday.

Giza Criminal Court postponed the trials of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed el-Beltagy and Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie to March 13.

Supreme State Security Prosecution began investigations Tuesday with suspects in the church shooting that took place Jan. 28.

Egyptian security officials say suspected al-Qaida-inspired militants have blown up a natural gas pipeline in the restive Sinai Peninsula.

Nasr City Prosecution referred 40 members of the Muslim Brotherhood to the misdemeanor court for rioting and engaging in violent activities during the third anniversary of the 25 January revolution.

Embassies and churches have become main targets for terrorist groups and yet the state ignores a large number of these facilities, many experts claimed.

The Salafi Al-Nour Party put forth an extensive list of criteria for evaluating presidential candidates on Monday, reiterating that it would not field its own presidential candidate.