A tension that has been building up between the Egyptian Army and the Muslim Brotherhood has reached a new level, local media reports show.

The Muslim Brotherhood intends to topple the Head of Egypt’s Armed Forces, General Abdulfatah Al-Sisi, anonymous sources told daily Egyptian independent newspaper, Al-Masry Al-Youm.

The Brotherhood intends to taint the Army’s reputation by spreading several rumors online, the sources said.

Last February, rumors circulated online that there are attempts to topple Sisi as well as other high-profile Generals in a scenario similar to the ouster of Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi as a face representative of the old regime.

The sources added that the military establishment will not allow the repetition of what had happened with Tantawi, and that Sisi enjoys wide support of military Officers and the public.

The military establishment is resisting the Muslim Brotherhood pressures to recruit more of its members, which is why the Army is currently undergoing this negative campaign at the hands of the Islamist group.

Spreading these rumors also aims to prevent Egyptians - especially from the opposition - to garner support from the Army, they added.

Sisi, who is also the Defense Minister, expressed his support to the Egyptian people since last year when he said the Army is with the Egyptian people and against violence.

In March, he reiterated his stance when he said that there is mutual confidence between the Armed Forces and the Egyptian people.

The sources also revealed alarming information, saying that the ongoing investigation regarding the killing of 16 Egyptian soldiers by militants at the Rafah crossing near Gaza was halted after pressures from higher-authorities.

To show severed relations between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Army, Sisi was pressured to accompany President Mohammed Mursi’s during his visit to Pakistan and India last month.

“Sisi was pressured to accompany Mursi to give the impression to the outside world that he is close to the current regime,” the newspaper said.

Source: Al Arabiya; Al Masri Al-Youm