Cairo:
A fugitive leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood is denying media allegations that his group is waging a "terror" campaign.
Mohammed el-Beltagy's videotaped speech was aired by Al-Jazeera early today. He says the accusations are "lies" and an attempt to turn a political crisis into a security problem.
He went into hiding earlier this month after authorities violently broke up protest encampments held by supporters of President Mohamed Morsi, ousted in a July 3 coup. Hundreds died in the crackdown, including el-Beltagy's daughter.
In a backlash, Morsi supporters attacked police stations, government buildings and churches. Hundreds of Brotherhood leaders and Morsi supporters have been arrested. Many of them are accused of orchestrating violence.
Egypt's media, almost uniformly anti-Brotherhood after the closure of Islamist TV stations, have described the crackdown as a "war on terror."