Atef Awad, a member of al-Wasat party, told the private ONTV station that judges should be treated like all other public officials, expected to retire at 60.

NPR: Egypt's Opposing Parties Argue Over Judiciary

But the owner and main presenter of the channel, Atef Abdel Rasheed, denied that a fatwa had been issued and said the scholar's words were taken out of context.

BBC: Egypt's challenge: Free to speak

If, for example, the drone from which the fatal attack on Atef was launched had sensed that his car was overtaking a school bus, it might then have held fire.

ECONOMIST: Monitor

The first U.S. armed drone attack, which appears to be the first such strike ever, took place in mid-November 2001 and killed the military commander of al Qaeda, Mohammed Atef, in Afghanistan.

CNN: A dangerous new world of drones

Earlier this month, the Pentagon said it had received "credible reports" suggesting that Mohammed Atef -- one of al Qaeda's top aides to Osama bin Laden -- was killed in an airstrike south of Kabul.

CNN: Taliban say Omar safe, deny strike hit leadership compound

But the rumours had sparked an internet protest campaign to block any rituals "within the walls of the pyramid on November 11, 2011, " Atef Abu Zahab, the head of the Department of Pharaonic Archaeology, told AFP news agency.

BBC: Egypt closes Great Pyramid amid 11/11/11 rumours