A radical cleric has encouraged President Mohammed Morsi to “use his powers” to kill the “thugs” and “criminals” who are causing the unrest that has plagued Egypt the past weeks, leading to the death of dozens.

“I am saying this publicly, and I am inciting the killing of criminals. I say criminals, thugs, thieves, those who are burning the country and those who are killing innocent people,” said preacher Wagdy Ghoneim, in a YouTube video and as quoted by Israel National News.

“If the police or the prosecution will not restore justice, we will restore justice, God willing,” he said, according to the report.

Mr. Ghoneim is banned from the United States and the United Kingdom for inciting followers to violence, Israel National News states. Most recently, Mr. Ghoneim gloated over Superstorm Sandy’s devastation, the report continued, and posted on Twitter his belief the hurricane was God’s revenge.

Mr. Morsi’s response — or lack of — was not reported by Israel National News.

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