Egypt justice minister sacked after saying he would arrest Mohammad

CAIRO, Egypt — Egypt’s Prime Minister Sharif Ismail on Sunday sacked the justice minister after he said in a television interview that he would arrest even “a prophet,” a statement from the premier’s office said.

Ahmed al-Zind sparked outrage on social media after his remarks on Friday that he would imprison anyone “even if it’s a prophet, God’s peace and blessings be upon him,” using the Islamic saying of reverence spoken by Muslims only when referring to the Prophet Mohammad.

Upon realizing what he had said on the Sada al-Balad channel, Zind immediately stopped and said: “I ask for forgiveness from God.” He later clarified in a separate interview that his remark was a mere “slip of the tongue.”

On Sunday, Ismail’s office said Zind had been removed.

“Prime Minister Sharif Ismail decided to dismiss justice minister Ahmed al-Zind from his post,” the statement said, but without giving the reason for the decision.

Zind’s remarks triggered outrage on social media networks immediately after the interview, with angry tweets continuing to pour in on Sunday.

Cairo-based Al-Azhar, a prestigious learning center of Sunni Islam, even issued a warning.

Angry Egyptians launched the Twitter hashtag “trial for Zind” as they lashed out at the minister, who only in January had angered human rights groups after he called for the “mass killing” of outlawed Muslim Brotherhood supporters.

“At least he should be sacked and then put on trial. This issue is not a joke,” said one tweet on Sunday.

“God will take revenge,” said another.

Zind clarified in a separate telephone interview with private network CBC television on Saturday that his remark was a mere “slip of the tongue.”

They were “meant in a hypothetical sense… but the Muslim Brotherhood supporters seized on them.”

Al-Azhar warned against insulting the Prophet Mohammad.

“All those involved in public discourse and in the media must respect the name of the Prophet,” it said in a statement without naming Zind.

“He should not be subjected to any insult even if it’s unintentional.”

In January, Zind said in an interview with the same Sada al-Balad channel that he “would not be satisfied until 10,000 Brotherhood members were killed for every martyr” from the armed forces and the police.

Human Rights Watch said his remarks encouraged the “slaughter” of political opponents.

Egyptian authorities have cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood movement after the army ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

Hundreds of Brotherhood supporters have been killed and thousands more jailed in the crackdown, while several of its leaders including Morsi have been sentenced to death or lengthy jail terms.