Al-Azhar University principal, Osama al-Abed, fired over food poisoning outbreak, Muslim Brotherhood denies being behind student illnesses
In a follow up to a story about a mass food poisoning outbreak at one of Cairo’s universities earlier this week, it is reported that Al-Azhar University principal, Osama al-Abed has been dismissed from his position, according to a Al Arabiya report today.
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Al-Azhar Grand Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, who students wanted to step down, let al-Abed go after some 500 students were sickened after consuming a meal at the university dormitories.
Calls to dismiss al-Tayeb were seen by many as politically driven and encouraged by some Islamist parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
However, a spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has rejected rumours linking the group with the mass food poisoning of Al-Azhar students, according to a Ahram Online report today.
“No members of the [Muslim Brotherhood] or the FJP have blamed the incident on [Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed] El-Tayeb,” Mourad Ali said on Tuesday.
Al-Azhar students will also stage protests on Wednesday at the university’s branches in Assiut, Mansoura, Alexandria and Tanta. “The student union backs demands to remove Grand Imam El-Tayeb and the university president,”says student union member Osama Zeid.
Al-Azhar University is affiliated with al-Azhar mosque, the world’s foremost seat of Sunni Muslim learning, and awards degrees in sciences and humanities as well as in religious studies.
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