The US government has threatened to withdraw up to $1.5bn in aid to Egypt following a decision by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) to put 43 people on trial for assisting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the country.

The defendants, who include 19 US citizens, are charged with “establishing and managing branches of international organisations without permission from the Egyptian government”.

“They also face the accusation of receiving illegal foreign funding from abroad for establishing and managing these organisations in Egypt,” according to a SCAF statement.

SCAF has previously asserted that foreign forces are involved in coordinating protests against the Egyptian regime. By targeting NGOs, SCAF may be seeking to portray the protests as the work of external forces.