US calls for Morsi's release

Tens of thousands of Egyptians have packed into squares and marched along streets in Cairo to protest against the military overthrow of president Mohamed Morsi,  and the United States called for the first time for him to be freed.

Crowds in Nasr City were chanting anti-military slogans, calling Abdul Fatah al-Sisi, the country's army chief, a traitor for removing Morsi from office last week.

Meanwhile, the United States called on Egypt's military to free Morsi. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the US agreed with Germany's earlier appeal for Morsi to be released and was "publicly" making the same request.

Morsi has been held in a "safe place," according to Egypt's interim leaders, and has not been seen in public since his ouster on July 3.

The appeal echoed a similar call hours earlier from Germany. 

Washington had so far avoided calling in public for the release of Mohammed Morsi, only urging the Egyptian army to stop arbitrary arrests without specifically referring to the deposed president.

But after Germany said Morsi should be freed from house arrest, the US followed suit.

Earlier on Friday, Germany's foreign ministry had urged the Egyptian authorities to end restrictions on Morsi and allow an international organisation, such as the Red Cross, access to him.

Asked if the US agreed that he should be released, state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters: "We do agree."

On Thursday, Washington had urged Egypt's leadership to stop the "arbitrary" arrests of Muslim Brotherhood members, warning against targeting any particular group.

However, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that the US administration did not believe it should immediately suspend aid to Egypt.

Washington is due to send four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt, but has not publicly confirmed that the delivery will go ahead.

The US says it is examining whether the military takeover constitutes a coup - US law prohibits the sending of aid to any country whose elected leader is deposed by a military coup.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has warned against the exclusion of any party from the political process.

Morsi's supporters have been staging mass protests throughout the week near the Presidential Guard barracks in eastern Cairo, where they believe he is being held.

Thousands of people were bussed in from outside the capital to join the sit-in at Rabaa El Adaweiya Mosque on Friday.

A large crowd of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters made its way along Ramses Street, close to Tahrir Square, and hundreds were on 6 October Bridge, where some of the worst clashes with anti-Morsi demonstrators took place a week ago.

On Tahrir, thousands more people gathered to attend a celebration of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, organised by groups who had called for Morsi's resignation.