Tear gas fills downtown as protesters clash with security forces in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters outside the chief prosecutor's office Saturday in central Cairo who were pushing on the building's doors demanding he resign.(AP Photo/Mostafa Elshemy)
Tear gas fills downtown as protesters clash with security forces in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters outside the chief prosecutor's office Saturday in central Cairo who were pushing on the building's doors demanding he resign.(AP Photo/Mostafa Elshemy)
A protester throws away a tear gas canister fired by security forces in downtown Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters outside the chief prosecutor's office Saturday in central Cairo after they tried to push on the building's doors demanding he resign.(AP Photo/Virginie Nguyen Hoang)
Members of Egypt's April 6 Youth Movement shout anti-Muslim Brotherhood slogans and light flares during a rally in front of the prosecutor general's office in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Thousands of activists took to the streets Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the founding of a leading opposition group, the April 6 Youth Movement, and to push a long list of demands on Morsi, including the formation of a more inclusive government amid a worsening economy.(AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Egyptian Samir Mancy, 60, holds a red card with Arabic reading, "Morsi step down", during a rally in front of the general prosecutor's office in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Arabic on the hat reads, "I'm hungry." Thousands of activists took to the streets Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the founding of a leading opposition group, the April 6 Youth Movement, and to push a long list of demands, including the formation of a more inclusive government amid a worsening economy. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Members of Egypt's April 6 Youth Movement shout anti-Muslim Brotherhood slogans during a rally in front of the prosecutor general's office in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, April 6, 2013. Arabic reads, "people demand the regime to step down." Thousands of activists took to the streets Saturday to mark the fifth anniversary of the founding of a leading opposition group, the April 6 Youth Movement, and to push a long list of demands, including the formation of a more inclusive government amid a worsening economy. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's highest judicial body on Sunday urged the country's top prosecutor to step down, nearly five months after Islamist President Mohammed Morsi appointed him.
A statement by the Supreme Judiciary Council carried by the official MENA news agency urged Talaat Abdullah "to express a wish" to return to his previous job as a judge for the sake of the unity of the judiciary.
Abdullah's appointment was decried as illegal by many judges and fellow prosecutors. It has led to days of protests outside his office in downtown Cairo by judges and prosecutors. The protests late last year forced him to tender his resignation, but he eventually withdrew it and stayed in office.
A court ruling last week annulled the presidential decree appointing Abdullah, but he has continued to carry out his duties. The presidency said last week it was still considering whether to appeal the ruling.
There was no word immediately available from Abdullah on his plans.
Removing Abdullah has been a key demand of the mostly liberal and secular opposition and Sunday's advice by the council of the judiciary appeared aimed at offering him an honorable exit and to end a long running crisis within the judiciary over his appointment.
Abdullah has over the past two weeks issued summons against several media celebrities critical of Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected president. They included popular TV satirist Bassem Youssef, who was accused of insulting Morsi and Islam.
Youssef's questioning last week, plus earlier arrest warrants issued by Abdullah's office for five rights activists, has created tension between Egypt and the United States. The satirist was released on bail.
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