Egypt’s interim president has told the prime minister the military has the right to arrest civilians due to the weekend of violence that has resulted in at least 72 deaths.

Officials who spoke to Fox News said the decision could be the start of a major crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. They would also crack down on Islamic extremists who have attacked security forces in the Sinai Peninsula.

The head of the ministry’s emergency and intensive care department told reporters that 792 people were wounded in the weekend protests along with the 72 dead.

The main violence took place in Cairo when pro-Morsi/Muslim Brotherhood protesters tried to expand their protest camp into a nearby road only to run into police and armed civilians.

The previous day millions took to the streets to support a call from the head of the army for civilian support of a military crackdown on terrorists.

Egypt’s MENA news agency said the government has been investigating Morsi on working with Hamas “to carry out anti-state acts, attacking police stations and army officers and storming prisons, setting fire to one prison and enabling inmates to flee, including himself, as well as premeditated killing of officers, soldiers and prisoners.”