Egypt’s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into deposed president Mohamed Mursi and other senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders following complaints that the former president was involved in spying, encouraged the killing of protesters and damaged the economy.

The prosecutors have not revealed who has made the complaints.

Other Muslim Brotherhood figures named in the statement issued by the prosecutor’s office include the group’s leader Mohamed Badie and the deputy leader of the Brotherhood’s political party, the Freedom and Justice Party, Essam el-Erian.

Mursi is currently being held at an unknown location since he was ousted from power by the Egyptian military on 3 July.

Over the past two weeks, a number of Brotherhood leaders including Badie have been arrested, on charges of inciting violence.

The US and some other Western powers, have urged Egypt’s interim government to release Mursi and stop further arrests of Brotherhood leaders.