World Bulletin/News Desk

Egyptian state prosecutors on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for Salah Abdel-Maqsoud, who had served as information minister under ousted president Mohamed Morsi.

The warrant was issued in connection with the alleged carjacking of two TV broadcasting vehicles by the ousted president's supporters during a six-week-long pro-democracy sit-in in Cairo's Rabaa al-Adawiya Square, according to a statement issued by the prosecution.

According to Egypt's state-run television agency, two TV broadcasting vehicles were commandeered by Morsi supporters while covering the sit-in.

A judicial source told Anadolu Agency that "investigations" had revealed that the ex-minister, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, was behind the decision to send the two vehicles to the protest site.

The vehicles were later found following the violent August 14 dispersal of the sit-in by security forces, which left hundreds of protesters dead and thousands injured.

Abdel-Maqsoud, who has made no public appearances since Morsi's July 3 ouster by the army, is still on the run.

Since the sit-in dispersal some six weeks ago, Egyptian authorities have unleashed a massive crackdown on leading Brotherhood members.

Hundreds of the group's high and mid-ranking figures, topped by supreme leader Mohamed Badie and deputies Khairat al-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi, are now in detention.

Most face charges of "inciting violence" – allegations they say are politically motivated.