Police arrested prominent Salafi leader Gamal Saber on Tuesday in connection with a deadly family feud in Shubra district that left three people dead.
According to reports, members of the Assal and Saber families have been exchanging gunfire and Molotov cocktails since Monday following the stabbing death of high school student Saad Dorra.
Central Security Forces had deployed three armored vehicles Tuesday evening in an attempt to stop the conflict, which had also injured dozens of people, including nine policemen.
Ten shops and 45 cars parked along the street were damaged in the fighting as well.
The Public Prosecution ordered the arrest of 30 others suspected of being involved Tuesday, including Ahmed Gamal Saber, Gamal's son. Seven suspects from both families are in custody.
State-owned Al-Ahram newspaper reported earlier that the son had already been arrested on murder charges.
Meanwhile, Salafi leader Gamal, the presidential campaign manager for Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, said the charges had been fabricated during an interview on the Sabah Al-Balad show. “My son was with me building a mosque,” he said, denying they were involved in any fight. “I was told later that the residents destroyed the mosque.”
Authorities say the conflict was rooted in a fight between Dorra, a member of the Assal family, and Ahmed during a football match near the Shubra Preparatory School for girls.
According to police, two men got into a fist fight, leading Ahmed to stab Dorra three times, killing him.
According to 10 eyewitnesses, Ahmed was the instigator.
On Monday, Public Prosecutor Talaat Abdallah ordered an immediate investigation into the bloody clashes.
Autopsies to determine the cause of death will be carried out shortly.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
