Egyptian President Morsi expands Islamist rule with key governor appointments

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has appointed several of his Islamist allies to key governing posts.

Political analysts see the appointments as a blunt expansion of Muslim Brotherhood powers of influence on the government. The Brotherhood and friends of the group control 13 of the nation’s 27 governorships, BBC reported.

The most significant appointment, BBC said, is for Luxor. That’s a hot tourist spot, and its new governor, Adel al-Khayat, belongs to the radical party Gamaa Islamiya, which was responsible for the 1997 massacre of 60 tourists there, BBC reported.

That group has since renounced violence, BBC reported.