Egypt carries out first execution against Morsi supporter

CAIRO -- Egypt on Saturday executed an Islamist convicted of murder in 2013 violence, the first death sentence carried out after the military's ouster of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, the Interior Ministry said.

The ministry said in a press statement that Mahmoud Ramadan was hanged at 7:00 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT), marking the first execution of Morsi's supporters who have been sentenced to death over violence charges.

Ramadan was arrested after a footage went viral on social media websites showing him throwing a person off the rooftop of a building in Alexandria during violent clashes protesting the army' s removal of Morsi in July 2013.

Morsi's ouster was followed by a surge of violence between his supporters and opponents and police. The violence left hundreds killed and thousands of Islamist activists in jail.

Hundreds of Morsi's supporters have been sentenced to death over charges of violence, espionage for foreign countries and manslaughter.