Egypt's Continuing Revolution: Month 13, Week 3, Day 1.

Fortunately on the first day of Ramadan there have been no reports of any major violence in Egypt meaning that I can move straight to the political developments.

The big news of the day is that the state prosecutor has issued an arrest warrant for the Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Leader Mohammed Badie and 9 other Brotherhood leaders on charges of inciting the violence that took place outside Cairo's Republican Guard HQ on Monday (8/7/13). Rather predictably the Brotherhood have decried this move as an attempt to destroy the Brotherhood as part of the 'military coup.' This is of course nonsense. Badie was initially arrested last Wednesday (3/7/13) as part of Morsi's removal. He was then freed on bail. His first act was to give an inflammatory address to the Muslim Brotherhood demonstration in Nasr city that provoked a day of violence across Egypt on Friday (5/7/13). Although he did not appear in person he was one of the key organisers behind the Brotherhood demonstration that led to Monday's confrontation outside the Republican Guard HQ. Therefore it is only right that Badie is re-detained because he has already demonstrated what he will do having been given the chance by being freed on bail. After all even in reasonably democratic nations such as the UK is the police suspect that you are likely to cause a major breach of the peace they are able to hold you indefinately until that threat has passed.

Also in relation to Monday's confrontation at the Republican Guard HQ prosecutors have remanded 200 of those arrested in custody for a minimum of 15 days on a variety of charges including weapons possession. 450 of those arrested have been freed on bail.

Again rather predictably the Muslim Brotherhood have rejected Hazem el-Bebawi's offer of seats in the government of national unity in return for the Brotherhood's support for his nomination of interim Prime Minister. To my mind this is just further evidence that the Brotherhood clearly have no-intention of returning Egypt to civilian democratic rule and instead simply want to return themselves to power. This of course raises the question of whether el-Bebawi can be appointed interim Prime Minister without the support of the Brotherhood. I think that he can because the Brotherhood's plan is clearly to delay the return to democracy for as long as possible in order to increase their support by claiming the delay they're causing as evidence of plot by the military to hang on to power.

In other slightly worrying signs of a further delay in the return to civilian, democratic rule both the liberal, secular National Salvation Front (NSF) party/coalition and the revolutionary Tamarod movement have rejected President Mansour's timetable for fresh elections. Both object on the grounds that they were not consulted about the process but in a sign of co-operation both intend to put forward their own suggestions for negotiation with the President. As I've said before I think the timetable declaration was a hastily drawn up and panicked response to events on Monday. Therefore I think the timetable should be scrapped and the focus should instead be on the formation of a government of national unity that will then go on to draw up it's own timetable for elections that reflects the wishes of all the sections of Egyptian society that choose to participate in that government of national unity.

22:55 on 10/7/13.