CAIRO, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Supporters of Egypt's banned Muslim Brotherhood were accused by Egypt's chief prosecutor of creating a militant group and charged with several related crimes. A total of 215 alleged militants were charged Sunday.

The group, known as the Helwan Brigades, are accused of killing at least six police officers, wounding civilians, possessing weapons, damaging state property and of using the Internet to stage violent protests.


In a statement released Sunday by Barakat, 125 members have already been arrested and arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining 90.

These recent charges are part of an ongoing crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood by the Egyptian government since overthrowing Egypt's first freely elected president and Muslim Brotherhood member Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

Earlier this month, an Egyptian court upheld the death sentence convictions of 183 Muslim Brotherhood supporters for its alleged role in the deaths of more than a dozen police officers.

The Muslim Brotherhood was outlawed in Egypt in 2013. Human rights groups accuse the government of suppressing opposition.