In the early hours of 8 July, 51 Muslim Brotherhood supporters camped outside the Republican Guard club in Cairo were killed by security forces. Egypt’s military claimed the protesters had attempted to break into the compound with the aid of armed motorcyclists.

After examining video evidence and speaking to witnesses, medics and protesters, the Guardian finds a different story

At 3.17am on Monday 8 July, Dr Yehia Moussa prepared to kneel outside the Republican Guard club in east Cairo for dawn prayers. For a few more hours, Moussa would remain the official spokesman for the Egyptian health ministry. But he was at the club that day in a personal capacity. Along with about 2,000 Muslim Brotherhood supporters, Moussa had camped outside the gated compound in protest at the removal of President Mohamed Morsi, who they then believed was imprisoned inside.

Like everyone else, Moussa knelt with his back to the barbed-wire fence protecting the entrance to the club. A few feet away were Reda Mohamedi, an education lecturer at al-Azhar University, and beyond him Dr Yasser Taha, an Azhar biochemistry professor. All three were friends from university days, and had shared a tent that night.

Within the hour, Taha would be dead with a bullet in his neck and Mohamedi would be unconscious, a bullet through his thigh. Moussa would have gunshot wounds in both legs and have most of his right index finger missing.

All three were victims of Egypt’s bloodiest state-led massacre since the fall of Hosni Mubarak, in which, according to official figures, at least 51 people were killed by security forces and at least 435 injured. Two policemen and one soldier were also killed.

The military has said the assault on the protesters was provoked by a terrorist attack. At about 4am, the army says, 15 armed motorcyclists approached the Republican Guard club’s compound. The army said the motorcyclists fired shots, that people attempted to break into the compound, and that the soldiers then had no choice but to defend their property.

But a week-long investigation – including interviews with 31 witnesses, local people and medics, as well as video analysis – found no evidence of the motorcyclist attack and points to a very different narrative, in which the security forces launched a co-ordinated assault on a group of largely peaceful and unarmed civilians.   »»» The Guardian (U.K.)

Go to article…