The Egyptian authorities arrested Muslim Brotherhood leader and former Youth Minister Osama Yassin on Monday, reported the state-owned news agency.

The security forces also arrested Mohamed Hafez, secretary of Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater.

A security source confirmed that the arrests came in response to orders made by the general prosecutor to summon and bring them forward. It added that all the necessary legal procedures are being taken with them.

The detained Brotherhood members were sent to public prisons amid tight security.

Yassin and other leaders in the Islamist group are to be questioned over several cases, including the incitement to kill demonstrators outside their main headquarters in mokattam in late June, the mobilization of armed groups to block traffic on Qalyoub's Agricultural Road and the use of violence.