Egypt government to 'dissolve Muslim Brotherhood'

Move marks the next stage in the crackdown on the Islamist group

A supporter of ousted president Mohammed Morsi waves his picture to commemorate two months since leader was deposed (AP)

Egypt's army-backed interim government will dissolve the Muslim Brotherhood as a non-governmental organisation, a state newspaper reports.

The move continues a crackdown on the political movement which backed deposed president Mohammed Morsi.

The decision applies to the NGO the Brotherhood registered in March in response to a lawsuit arguing that the group had no legal status. The move marks a legal challenge to Morsi's movement as the police round up its leaders across the country.

“The minister's decision has in fact been issued but it will be announced at the start of next week in a press conference,” Hany Mahana, spokesman for the minister of social solidarity, is quoted as saying in the state-run Al-Akhbar newspaper.

Social Solidarity Minister Ahmed el-Boraie's decision to dissolve the group as an NGO stemmed from accusations that the Brotherhood had used its headquarters to fire and store weapons and explosives.

Dozens of senior Brotherhood figures, including its general guide Mohammed Badie, have been held over allegations of inciting violence and murder.

After long-serving autocrat Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising in 2011, the Brotherhood won both parliamentary and presidential elections.

The country's military deposed Preisdent Morsi on 3 July in response to mass protests against his rule.