Egypt imposes state of emergency after 595 people killed

Top News Wed, Aug 14 11:14 AM EDT image 1 of 16 By Yasmine Saleh and Tom Finn CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 95 Egyptians were killed on Wednesday after security forces moved in on protesters demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi, and the government imposed a state of emergency as unrest swept the most populous Arab nation. Troops opened fire on demonstrators in violence that brought chaos to areas of the capital and looked certain to further polarize Egypt's 84 million people between those who backed Mursi and the millions who opposed his brief rule. The state of emergency, starting at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, was to last a month. In the streets around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in northeast Cairo, where thousands of Mursi supporters have staged a sit-in for the last six weeks, riot police wearing gas masks crouched behind armored vehicles, tear gas hung in the air and burning tires sent plumes of black smoke into the sky. At a hospital morgue nearby, a Reuters reporter counted 29 bodies, including that of a 12-year-old boy. Most had died of gunshot wounds to the head. A nurse at the same hospital had said she counted 60 bodies, and expected the number to rise. The unrest spread beyond the capital, with the cities of Minya and Assiut, and Alexandria on the northern coast, also affected. Seventeen people were killed in the province of Fayoum south of Cairo. Five more died in Suez. Mohamed El-Beltagi, a leader of Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood movement that led the protests, warned of wider conflict and singled out the head of the armed forces who deposed Mursi on July 3 following mass protests that called for his resignation. "I swear by God that if you stay in your homes, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will embroil this country so that it becomes Syria. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi will push this nation to a civil war so that he escapes the gallows." Nine hours after the start of the operation, crowds of protesters were still blocking roads, chanting and waving flags as security forces sought to prevent them from regrouping. "At 7 a.m. they came. Helicopters from the top and bulldozers from below. They smashed through our walls. Police and soldiers, they fired tear gas at children," said teacher Saleh Abdulaziz, 39, clutching a bleeding wound on his head. "They continued to fire at protesters even when we begged them to stop." The West, notably the United States which gives the Egyptian military $1.3 billion each year, has been alarmed by the recent violence in the strategic Arab ally that has a peace treaty with Israel and controls the vital Suez Canal waterway. (additional reporting by Michael Georgy, Tom Perry, Shadia Nasralla, Omar Fahmy and Ashraf Fahim in Cairo and Adrian Croft in Brussels; Writing by Mike Collett-White) ================= Aug. 14, 2013 1:45 PM ET AP PHOTOS: Egypt cracks down on pro-Morsi camps By The Associated Press THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES By The Associated Press AIM Share Google Digg Del.icio.us REddit NewsVine Mixx Facebook Yahoo A supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shouts during clashes with Egyptian security forces in the Nasr City district of Cairo Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Violence spread across much of Egypt after police cleared two encampments of Morsi's supporters, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. At least 149 people were killed nationwide, many of them in the assaults on the protest vigils. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo) A supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi shouts during clashes with Egyptian security forces in the Nasr City district of Cairo Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Violence spread across much of Egypt after police cleared two encampments of Morsi's supporters, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. At least 149 people were killed nationwide, many of them in the assaults on the protest vigils. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo) An Egyptian security force kicks a supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi as they clear a sit-in camp set up near Cairo University in Cairo's Giza district, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear the sit-in camp and the other encampment set up by supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. (AP Photo/Hussein Tallal) An Egyptian security force escorts a supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi as security forces clear a sit-in camp set up near Cairo University in Cairo's Giza district, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear the sit-in camp and the other encampment set up by supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. (AP Photo/Hussein Tallal) Egyptian security forces detain a supporter of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi as they clear a sit-in camp set up near Cairo University in Cairo's Giza district, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian police in riot gear swept in with armored vehicles and bulldozers Wednesday to clear the sit-in camp and the other encampment set up by supporters of the country's ousted Islamist president in Cairo, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out. (AP Photo/Hussein Tallal) A member of the Egyptian security forces holds up a copy of the Quran as clear they clear the smaller of the two sit-ins by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, near the Cairo University campus in Giza, Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013. Egyptian security forces, backed by armored cars and bulldozers, moved on Wednesday to clear two sit-in camps by supporters of the country's ousted President Mohammed Morsi, showering protesters with tear gas as the sound of gunfire rang out at both sites. (AP Photo/Imad Abdul Rahman) . . 1 of 5. . More News Video More NewsReactions to Egyptian crackdown on pro-Morsi camps Aug. 14, 2013 1:05 PM ET Cuban-Americans call off protests against Bahamas Aug. 12, 2013 6:13 PM ET Main issues behind Egypt's political stalemate Aug. 12, 2013 1:57 PM ET Ore. jury denies Occupy protester's police lawsuit Aug. 9, 2013 8:57 PM ET Muslim holy period to be celebrated at Guantanamo Aug. 7, 2013 4:50 PM ET Buy AP Photo Reprints CAIRO (AP) — Fires smoldered and running street battles were reported Wednesday after Egyptian riot police swarmed two Cairo encampments where protesters were demonstrating against the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. At least 149 people were killed nationwide, many of them during the assaults on the vigils. Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and pro-reform leader in the interim government, resigned in protest over the crackdown The developments are the latest chapter in the turmoil that has roiled Egypt since the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak and are likely to deepen the nation's division between the camp of Islamists led by the Muslim Brotherhood on one side, and secularists, liberals, moderate Muslims and minority Christians on the other. Here's a gallery of images showing the latest developments in Egypt. Associated Press Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. ======================== Reuters Top News Muslim Brotherhood calls rallies across Egypt after day of bloodshed Fri, Aug 16 18:03 PM EDT image 1 of 19 By Crispian Balmer and Yasmine Saleh CAIRO (Reuters) - The Muslim Brotherhood defiantly called for a week of protests across Egypt starting on Saturday, a day after more than 100 people died in clashes between Islamists and the security forces that pushed the country ever closer to anarchy. Undeterred by the bloodshed in which about 700 have been killed since Wednesday, the Brotherhood urged its supporters back onto the streets to denounce the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi and a crackdown on his followers. "Our rejection of the coup regime has become an Islamic, national and ethical obligation that we can never abandon," said the Brotherhood, which has accused Egypt's military of plotting the downfall of Mursi last month to regain the levers of power. Many Western allies have denounced the killings, including the United States, but Saudi Arabia threw its weight behind the army-backed government on Friday, accusing its old foe the Muslim Brotherhood of trying to destabilize Egypt. Violence erupted across Egypt after the Brotherhood, which has deep roots in the provinces, called for a "Day of Rage". Roughly 50 people died in Cairo and more than 20 in the country's second city, Alexandria, security sources said. Automatic gunfire echoed around the capital throughout Friday afternoon, army helicopters swooped over the roof tops and at least one office block was set ablaze, lighting up the night sky long after the violence had subsided. The Brotherhood announced a series of daily rallies over the next six days, starting on Saturday. "We will not leave the squares. And we will not be silent over our rights, ever," said Cairo resident Abdullah Abdul Fattah, adding that he was not a Brotherhood voter. "We are here because of our brothers who died," he said. An interim cabinet, installed by the army after it removed Mursi during rallies against his often chaotic rule, has refused to back down. It has authorized police to use live ammunition to defend themselves and state installations. ANGER After weeks of futile, political mediation, police moved on Wednesday to clear two Brotherhood protest sit-ins in Cairo. Almost 600 people, most of them Islamists, were killed in the mayhem. With no compromise in sight, the most populous Arab nation - which is often seen as leading events in the entire region - looks increasingly polarized and angry. "Egypt fighting terrorism," said a new logo plastered on state television, reflecting tougher language in the local media that was once reserved for militant groups such as al Qaeda. The government said in a statement it was confronting the "Muslim Brotherhood's terrorist plan". Undermining Brotherhood pledges of peaceful resistance, armed men were seen firing from the ranks of pro-Mursi supporters in Cairo on Friday. A security official said at least 24 policemen had died over the past 24 hours, and 15 police stations attacked. The Brotherhood suggested the gunmen had been planted by the security forces, saying it remained committed to non-violence. Witnesses also said Mursi backers had ransacked a Catholic church and set fire to an Anglican church in the city of Malawi. The Brotherhood, which has been accused of inciting anti-Christian sentiment, denies targeting churches. Christians make up roughly 10 percent of Egypt's 84-million population and the Coptic Church authority issued a statement on Friday saying it "strongly supports the Egyptian police and armed forces". The streets of Cairo fell quiet after nightfall, with the government warning the dusk-to-dawn curfew would be vigorously enforced. Neighborhood watch schemes sprouted up, and residents stopped and searched cars driving past their communities. Egypt has lurched from one crisis to another since the downfall of the autocratic Hosni Mubarak in 2011, dealing repeated blows to the economy, particularly tourism. A number of tour operators have suspended all holidays to Egypt until at least next month and the United States has urged its citizens to leave the country. The European Union asked its states to consider "appropriate measures" to take in reaction to the violence, while Germany said it was reconsidering its ties. (Additional reporting by Michael Georgy, Alexander Dziadosz, Tom Finn, Yasmine Saleh, Mohamed Abdellah, Ahmed Tolba and Omar Fahmy in Cairo, Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by David Stamp) ========================== ===============

Egypt PM dispute stalls government, Islamists call more protests

Yasmin Mogahed I ask you to bare with me and read through until the end and really reflect: It's mind blowing to realize that for every physical, seen reality, there is a complimentary spiritual, unseen reality. And we will fail if we only recognize the physical realities. We will fail if we don't look through the illusion of what we can 'see' with our eyes (Quran 2:3-5). For example, if someone's body is sick or dies, we mourn. But we feel no sadness for the walking bodies, with sick or dead hearts. If we see someone whose eyes are blinded, we feel sorry for them and label them 'handicapped'. But what of those whose eyes can see, but whose hearts are blind? We fight hard to feed the starving bodies--as we should. But who’s fighting to feed the starving souls? We wage war on physical poverty--as we should. But who’s waging war on the spiritual and moral impoverishment that's eating away at our community? We fight hard against physical oppression—as we should. But we continue to oppress our own selves by our sins and alienation from God. We look at the captives, and think that is imprisonment. And then we look at the people living for their desires, and we think that is freedom. We fail to recognize that true freedom and captivity is on the inside. As you read through the Quran, you begin to see that in the hereafter, these ‘spiritual realities’ take on a physical form. The ones who were spiritually blind in this life, become physically blind in the next (20:125-126). The ones whose hearts were veiled from God in this life, become physically veiled from God in the next (83:15). The ones who were chained by their nafs and desires in this life, become physically chained in the next (69:32). The ones who were spiritually at the forefront and nearest to God in this life, become physically at the forefront and nearest to God in the next (56:10-11). The ones who had spiritual light in this life, will have physical light in the next (57:12).

Meera Masr To all the people,it's not a military COUP.We as Egyptians didn't have democracy for choosing Morsi from the beginning.The brotherhood group made forgery in the elections& there r cases against Morsi for elections' forgery.They prevented most of christians in Miniaa TO VOTE.They bought votting by oil bottles& sugar bags for poor people,whom are a lot,They also manipulated religion in a fake way not real to convince people that they r Muslims who will achieve Sharia.This not true, they didn't achieve one thing of their promises.Morsi said in his election program"we have 200 million pouds for projects.He said"in 100 days,I'll achieve safety,organize traffic&we'll present for Egyptians El Nahda Islamic project" which they themselves do not know what it is ,till now.They r terrorists came by the will of Mr. Obama.Obama spent over them 1.5 billion dollars for theire elections&8 billion for dividing Egypt like Sudan & Irak and aslo for the sake of protecting Israel from terrorism.But we not going to be the goat of this transaction.Besides,Morsi ran awy from jail in 28 January 2011& became a president.It'a a black comedy isn't it?!!!!.Morsi made a dictator conistitutional declaration giving him allllllllllll rights without sergeant from anyyyyy one.What political stupidity!!!!!we r the Egyptians who went out 33 millions to ask our great army to ousted Morsi, thank our army for their respond of our demand to ousted the facist dictator terrorist Morsi. NO COUP had 33.5 Million signed petitions and a set date three months before it happened.THE ARMY GAVE MORSI ONE WEEK TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.THEN 48 HOURS THEN ACCORDING TO THE PEOPLE'S WILL,THEY SAID OUTTT MORSI.300 EGYPTIAN PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY HAMASS,EL KA3DA&MBH'S SUPPORTERS NO COUP had millions of people waiting for it in the squares.MBH KILLED 300 EGYPTIAN PEOPLE from 30-6 till now By Mike Collett-White and Yasmine Saleh CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's political transition after President Mohamed Mursi was ousted by the military stumbled at the first hurdle, after the choice of liberal politician Mohamed ElBaradei as interim prime minister was thrown into doubt by Islamist objections. ElBaradei's nomination had been confirmed by several sources and state media on Saturday, but just before midnight a presidential spokesman told reporters that the prime minister had not in fact been chosen. The abrupt U-turn came amid opposition to the appointment by the Nour Party, Egypt's second Islamist force after Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood movement, highlighting the challenge the military faces in finding consensus among liberals and conservatives on who should run the country. Clashes between tens of thousands of pro- and anti-Mursi protesters swept the Arab world's most populous nation on Friday and at least 35 people were killed and more than 1,000 wounded. The violence, which saw rival factions fighting street battles in central Cairo and many others cities and towns, underlined the pressing need for a swift political solution seen as inclusive to all. "We extend our hand to everyone, everyone is a part of this nation," the spokesman told reporters. "The Muslim Brotherhood has plenty of opportunities to run for all elections including the coming presidential elections or the ones to follow." Minutes after he spoke, state media reported that the public prosecutor ordered that four top Brotherhood leaders held this week be detained for a further 15 days on accusations that they incited violence against protesters. The four included Saad el-Katatni, head of the group's political wing, and Khairat El-Shater, its political strategist. ISLAMIST SUPPORT CRUCIAL The Brotherhood has said it wants nothing to do with the military's plans for a new interim government. It believes Mursi should be reinstated, and has pledged to keep protesting until he is. The Nour Party, however, had agreed to the army-backed transition plan leading to new elections. Its withdrawal from the process would strip that plan of vital Islamist support. And following the Nour rejection, the interim administration headed by Adli Mansour delayed naming the new prime minister. On Sunday, people were still reeling from one of the bloodiest days in over two years of tumultuous upheaval since autocrat Hosni Mubarak, who ruled for 30 years, was toppled in a popular uprising that was part of the 2011 "Arab Spring". The Brotherhood called for another day of protest on Sunday, meaning that relative calm on Saturday may prove to be only a temporary lull. Huge protests were staged on June 30 to pressure Mursi into resigning amid growing anger at economic stagnation and the perception among many that the Brotherhood was seeking to take control of every part of the state - a charge it fiercely denies. Millions took to the streets to cheer his ouster on Wednesday, but for many Islamists it was a bitter reversal that raised fears of a return to the suppression they endured for decades under autocratic rulers. The military said it had not carried out a coup, but merely enforced the will of the people. ALARM OVERSEAS The events of the last week have raised alarm among Egypt's allies in the West, including main aid donors the United States and the European Union, and in Israel, with which Egypt has had a U.S.-backed peace treaty since 1979. On Saturday, President Barack Obama condemned the violence, and said the United States was not working with any particular party or group in Egypt. Washington has not condemned the military takeover or called it a coup, prompting suspicion within the Brotherhood that it tacitly supports the overthrow of the country's first freely elected president. Obama has ordered a review to determine whether annual U.S. assistance of $1.5 billion, most which goes to the Egyptian military, should be cut off as required by law if a country's military ousts a democratically elected leader. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel held three conversations with the head of Egypt's armed forces on Friday and Saturday, emphasizing the need for "a peaceful civilian transition in Egypt," the Pentagon said on Saturday. "He also noted the importance of security for the Egyptian people, Egypt's neighbors, and the region," Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement, without characterizing the reaction of Egyptian General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Egypt can ill afford to lose foreign aid. The country appears headed for a looming funding crunch unless it can quickly access money from overseas. The local currency has lost 11 percent of its value since late last year. Newspapers on Saturday quoted ElBaradei as saying he expected Gulf Arab monarchies that were hostile to the Brotherhood's rule to offer financial support to the new authorities. Only gas-rich Qatar provided substantial funds to Mursi's government, totaling $7 billion in loans and grants. Turkey and Libya also provided smaller loans and deposits. (Additional reporting by Mike Collett-White, Maggie Fick, Sarah McFarlane, Tom Perry, Paul Taylor, Patrick Werr in Cairo and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Eric Walsh) ============ Healing Egypt: Three steps to unify a divided nation The uprising of millions of Egyptians since June 30 has led to sharp polarization. Growing up in Egypt, I never saw the country as divided as it is today. Efforts to rebuild the nation must focus on justice, reconciliation, and inclusiveness. By Ahmed Zewail, Op-ed contributor / July 11, 2013 Supporters of Egypt's ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, protest before breaking their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan, in Nasr City, Cairo, July 10. Op-ed contributor Ahmed Zewail writes: 'No civil, liberal government can succeed, even after new elections, if the Islamists are forced to work underground as a foe and the country remains divided.' Manu Brabo The uprising of millions of Egyptians since June 30 has led to sharp polarization. Some consider the removal of Mohamed Morsi a coup by the army against an elected president. Others treat it as the second revolution, or the continuation of the January 25, 2011, revolution. The media, especially in the West, is mainly concerned with the definition of a coup and whether the military should be punished by stopping US aid to Egypt. Gallery: Monitor Political Cartoons.Related stories The Monitor's View: Why Egypt now deserves world's help Opinion: Halting aid to Egypt over military 'coup' would hurt US interests Opinion: Don't view Egypt's coup with a Western lens The Monitor's View: After military ouster of Egypt's Morsi, a chance to get it right Global Viewpoint: With Morsi ouster, Egypt fails democracy test Opinion: Muslim women of today – not just the past – must be respected in Egypt, Syria .Ads by Google خطة لخطف الرئيس المصري الاخوان: مؤامرة عربية لخطف محمد مرسي www.nuqudy.com The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition The picture is not this simple, and the current situation is more than a coup definition; it is the healing of a country that has enormous potential and strategic position in the already troubled Middle East. The real question is: What can be done for Egypt in its democratic transition, with Egyptians being strongly polarized? The proposed immediate action plan presented here can change the current situation and make the country move forward. OPINION: Halting aid to Egypt over military 'coup' would hurt US interests Growing up in Egypt, I never saw the country as divided as it is today. We now have two main political groupings: the Islamist parties and the civil, or liberal, political parties. What is also new is the youth movement – more powerful than present liberal parties – that uses the latest in technological tools to lead these street uprisings (millionea) because they want to live in a developed and prosperous Egypt. On the one hand, the liberals in the country believe that the Muslim Brotherhood failed the democratic process because, although Mr. Morsi won the popular vote, he did not succeed in uniting the nation and serving as president of all Egyptians. Morsi's appointment of Muslim Brotherhood members in leading positions of the county (so-called “Akhwanet Egypt”), his unexpected constitutional decrees, and his insistence on keeping a government seen by many as incompetent all were issues that led the youthful “rebel movement” to collect more than 20 million signatures calling for early presidential elections to remove him. On the other hand, supporters of Morsi believe that he came to power democratically as the first elected civilian president in Egypt’s history. As such, he should only have been able to be removed after completing his term in office. Only such a course, in their view, would protect the constitution (hematite el-sharia) that was passed by a national referendum with two-thirds majority. The Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party was a majority in the elected parliament. The Egyptian army had one of two options: either defend Morsi’s claim to power, leaving millions on the streets and the country as a whole sinking economically, and having national security being threatened with chaos; or interfere and put the country on a new course without being directly involved in governance. So far, the latter is what the army has chosen to do. Unlike the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces in the January 25 revolution, First General Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi remains without a political title. The chief justice of Egypt has been sworn in as the new president. ======================== But the central question is how this predicament of division can be solved. I propose a plan of three specific points: First, and immediately, a council should be formed to consider the latest constitution and the articles of disagreement. Within three months, the constitution should be amended and approved by the people in a referendum vote so the country can be united on future binding principles of society and the election processes that follow. Second, the parliamentary election should precede the presidential election. Again, within another three months, Egyptians will know the political identity and spectrum of their parliament, and from this new election will emerge the majority and minority parties, inclusive of civil and Islamic parties. Third, and most important to end the current polarization and violence, is the formation of a supreme presidential council, a board of trustees, made up of three groups. This council should have one-third representation by the civil parties, one-third representation by the Islamist parties, and one-third representation by wise men and women who are independent and not politically associated with any party. Perhaps five to a maximum of 10 people from each group would be sufficient. This body would have the authority to discuss in depth the upcoming proposed changes to the Constitution and the proposed election process, and to vote on them. This way they are part of shaping the future; from the beginning they are included in the political process at the highest level. Disagreement may occur, but in the end, a vote among the members will be binding for all. It is critical that during this transitional period the leadership does not repeat the past, and must deal with the Islamists fairly and inclusively. Also, Morsi must be treated justly in accordance with the law. Finally, the media must live up to the occasion. It must stop “reverse polarization” and work toward convergence, not divergence. The Muslim Brotherhood and the Salifist parties are a real force in the Egyptian society. No civil, liberal government can succeed, even after new elections, if the Islamists are forced to work underground as a foe and the country remains divided. In fact, this is evident even after the June 30 event, when the Salifist al Nour party had a final say on who became the prime minister for the translational period. THE MONITOR'S VIEW: Why Egypt now deserves world's help Reducing Egypt’s predicament only to the issue of a coup without realizing the central issues of division and violence in today’s Egypt is too simplistic and dangerous. Every effort should be made to help build the new democratic nation with reconciliation and forgiveness, for the sake of Egypt and not for the benefit of one party or one group. Ahmed Zewail is the 1999 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry and is a former US envoy to the Middle East. ALSO BY THIS WRITER: Islam is not the problem in Egypt ================================= Egyptian forces kill dozens of supporters of ousted Islamist Sat, Jul 27 18:03 PM EDT 1 of 8 By Tom Perry and Shadia Nasralla CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces shot dead dozens of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Mursi on Saturday, witnesses said, days after the army chief called for a popular mandate to wipe out "violence and terrorism". The bloodshed, near the military parade ground where President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981, plunged the Arab world's most populous country deeper into turmoil following two turbulent years of transition to democracy since veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak was swept from power. Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood, braced for a military crackdown, said men in helmets and black police fatigues had fired on crowds gathered before dawn on the fringes of a round-the-clock sit-in near a mosque in northeast Cairo. Activists rushed blood-spattered casualties into a makeshift hospital. Some were carried in on planks or blankets. One ashen teenager was laid out on the floor, a bullet hole in his head. The United States, treading a fine line with an important Arab ally and recipient of over $1 billion a year in U.S. military aid, urged respect for the right to peaceful protest, and warned that Egypt was at a "pivotal moment". Brotherhood spokesman Ahmed Aref said 66 people had been killed and another 61 were "brain dead" on life support machines. More than 4,000 were treated for the effects of tear gas and gunshot or birdshot wounds, he told reporters. "Innocent blood was spilled," Aref said. "We have gone back 10 years." The Health Ministry reported a total of 65 dead, while the head of the ambulance service, Mohamed Sultanm, said later that 72 had died. "They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill," another Brotherhood spokesman, Gehad El-Haddad, told Reuters early on Saturday. "The bullet wounds are in the head and chest." Egypt's Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim denied that police had opened fire, saying local residents living close to the Rabaa al-Adawia mosque vigil had clashed with protesters in the early hours after they had blocked off a major bridge road. He said police had used teargas to try to break up the fighting. Well over 200 people have been killed in violence since the army toppled Mursi on July 3, following huge protests against his year in power. The army denies accusations it staged a coup, saying it intervened to prevent national chaos. SISI'S CHALLENGE Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians had poured onto the streets on Friday in response to a call by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for nationwide demonstrations to give him backing to confront the weeks-long wave of violence. His appeal was seen as a challenge to the Brotherhood, which organized its own rallies on Friday calling for the return of Mursi, who has been held in an undisclosed location since his ousting and faces a raft of charges, including murder. Ibrahim said Mursi was likely to be transferred shortly to the same Cairo prison where former leader Mubarak is now held. Leaders of the Brotherhood, a highly organized movement with grassroots support across Egypt, appealed for calm on Saturday, but activists at the vigil voiced fury. "The people want the execution of Sisi," a cleric shouted to the crowd from a stage by the mosque. "The people want the execution of the butcher." Interior Minister Ibrahim said the pro-Mursi sit-ins would "God willing, soon ... be dealt with" based on a decision by a public prosecutor, who is reviewing complaints from local residents unhappy with the huge encampment on their doorstep. The European Union and major European powers deplored the violence. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged dialogue and restraint. "At this critical juncture, it is essential that the security forces and the interim government respect the right of peaceful protest," he said. "This is a pivotal moment for Egypt." The Pentagon said U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had spoken by phone with Egyptian army chief Sisi and urged steps "to prevent further bloodshed and loss of life." Washington has delayed delivery of four F-16 fighters, part of the $1.5 billion in aid it provides every year, mainly in military hardware, but says it does not intend to cut off aid to a country seen as a vital ally and which has a peace deal with neighboring Israel. Turkey, a vocal supporter of Mursi, accused the West of turning a blind eye. "Those who were silent when Egypt's national will was massacred are silent again when people are massacred," Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who has faced down large protests against his own government this year, said in televised comments. "What happened to the EU (and) European values, where are those who go around giving lessons in democracy?" "BULLETS WHIZZING" Witnesses said police first fired rounds of teargas at Brotherhood protesters gathered on a boulevard leading away from the Rabaa mosque, with live shots ringing out soon afterwards. "There were snipers on the rooftops, I could hear the bullets whizzing past me," said Ahmed el Nashar, 34, a business consultant, choking back his tears. "Man, people were just dropping." Dr. Ibtisam Zein, overseeing the Brotherhood morgue, said most of the dead were hit in the head, some between the eyes. The bodies were wrapped in white sheets and laid on the floor, their names scrawled on the shrouds. A cleaner busily mopped the floor, washing away pools of blood. Haddad said the Brotherhood remained committed to pursuing peaceful protests, despite Saturday's deaths - the second mass shooting of its supporters this month by security forces, who killed 53 people on July 8. Brotherhood activists at Rabaa said they would not be cowed and warned of worse bloodshed if the security forces did not back down. "We will stay here until we die, one by one," said Ahmed Ali, 24, helping treat casualties at the field hospital. Egyptian-born Youssef al-Qaradawi, one of the most prominent Sunni clerics in the Middle East, urged Egyptians to join the Brotherhood vigil, according to a statement on his website. "People must come out of their homes to stand in the face of the criminal murderers with all bravery," he said. (Additional reporting by Shadia Nasralla, Yasmine Saleh, Tom Finn, Maggie Fick, Omar Fahmy, Edmund Blair, Michael Georgy, Noah Browning and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo, Abdel Rahman Youssef in Alexandria, Arshad Mohammed in Washington, Sami Aboudi in Dubai and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul; Writing by Crispian Balmer and Matt Robinson; Editing by David Evans and Sonya Hepinstall) ================================ Millions take to the streets of Egypt in an ever-growing media fantasy If that many were demonstrating, who was driving the trains, buses, underground, operating the airports, manning the police and army, the factories, and hotels? 1 / 1Getty ImagesShare2K 215 4 2K Ads by Google British Expat In Qatar? Discover Your £80k+ Pension Options Free, Clear & Honest Expert Advice! Your.QROPSchoices.com/Free-Guide5 Signs of Alzheimer's Doctor: 5 Warning Signs You're About to Get Alzheimer's Disease www.newsmax.comExpatriate Savings Advice £50k-£1m Or £250+ Regular Savings? Find The Best Interest Rates Today! www.OffshoreSavingsDesigner.comWhy does the Egyptian crisis appear so simple to our political leaders yet so complicated when you actually turn up in Cairo? Let’s start with the Egyptian press. Flowering after the 2011 revolution, the Egyptian media moved into lockstep the moment General Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and the lads chucked President Mohamed Morsi out of power on 3 July. Indeed, one popular television group – upon whose airwaves I occasionally spoke in the post-Mubarak era – appeared after the military takeover with their reporters and presenters all praising the new regime. And here’s the rub – they all appeared on screen in military uniform! Of course, fantasies had to be created. The first of these was not the perfidious, undemocratic, terroristic nature of the Brotherhood – this idea had been fostered at least a week before the coup. No, it was the demonstration scoreboard that fed into the dreams of the world. “Millions” were on the streets calling for Morsi’s overthrow. These millions were essential for the supreme fantasy: that General al-Sisi was merely following the will of the people. But then Tony Blair – whose accuracy over weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is well known – told us that there were “17 million Egyptians on the streets”! This was worthy of an exclamation mark. Then the US State Department told us there were 22 million on the streets of Egypt. Then just three days ago, the Democracy Index informed us that there were 30 million taking part in demonstrations against Morsi and only one million Morsi supporters on the streets! This is truly incredible. The population of Egypt is around 89 million. Stripped of its babies, children, pensioners of advanced age, this suggests that more than half the active population of Egypt was demonstrating against Morsi. Yet unlike Egypt in 2011, the country kept running. So who, during what the Egyptian Writers Union now called “the largest political demonstration in history”, was driving the trains and buses, the Cairo underground system, operating the airports, manning the ranks of the police and army, the factories, hotels and the Suez Canal? Al-Jazeera, thank heavens, brought in an American expert on crowds to demonstrate that these figures emerged from a dream world in which both sides eagerly subscribed, one that physically could not exist. Around Tahrir Square, it was impossible to gather more than a million and a half people. In Nasr City – a Morsi demonstration point – far fewer. But the groundwork had been laid. So last week, the US Secretary of State John Kerry was able to tell us that the Egyptian military “was asked to intervene by millions and millions [sic] of people, all of whom were afraid of a [descent] into chaos, into violence. And the military did not take over, to the best of our judgement – so far – to run the country. There’s a civilian government. In effect [sic], they were restoring democracy.” All Kerry failed to mention was that General al-Sisi chose the “civilian” government, reappointed himself defence minister, then appointed himself deputy prime minister of the “civilian” government – and remained commander of the Egyptian army. And that General al-Sisi was never elected. But that’s OK. He was anointed by those “millions and millions” of people. And what did the military spokesman say when asked how the world would react to the “excessive use of force” that killed 50 Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators on 8 July? Without reservation, he replied: “What excessive force? It would have been excessive if we had killed 300 people.” That speaks for itself. But when you’re up there among the 17 million, 22 million, 30 million, the “millions of millions”, who cares? Now to the Department of Plain Speaking. Let me quote here the best commentator on the Middle East, Alain Gresh, whose work in Le Monde diplomatique, is – or should be – essential reading for all politicians, generals, “intelligence” officers, torturers, and every Arab in the entire region. The Muslim Brotherhood, he writes this month, proved itself “fundamentally incapable of adapting to the pluralist political deal, to emerge from its culture of clandestinity, to transform itself into a political party, to make alliances. Sure, they created the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), but this remained totally under the control of the Brotherhood.” And what was al-Sisi’s real role in all this? He gave us an intriguing clue in his infamous 25 July call on Egyptians to authorise the army to “confront violence and terrorism”. He said he told two Brotherhood leaders prior to the overthrow that the situation was “dangerous”, that reconciliation talks must begin at once. The two leaders, al-Sisi said, replied that “armed groups” would solve any problem that arose. The general was outraged. He said he gave Morsi a week before 30 June to try to end the crisis. On 3 July, he sent Morsi’s Prime Minister, Hisham Qandil, and two others “to former President Morsi to convince him to be proactive and call for a referendum on his remaining in power… His answer was ‘no’.” Al-Sisi told Morsi that “political pride dictates that if the people reject you, you should either step down, or re-establish confidence through a referendum. Some people want to either rule the country or destroy it.” Of course, we can’t hear Morsi’s point of view. He has been publicly silenced. Thank God for the Egyptian army. And all those millions.

Fierce clashes in Cairo, Clinton voices outrage

Fierce clashes in Cairo, Clinton voices outrage20 Dec 2011 20:00Source: Reuters // ReutersResidents help salvage burnt manuscripts from the ruins of the Scientific Institute of Egypt near Tahrir Square in Cairo December 19, 2011. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh* Troops and police try again to drive protesters from Tahrir Sq* Clinton condemns "shocking" attack on woman protester* Egyptians protest over treatment of women during demonstrations* Military and advisory council call for end to violence (Adds army statement, women's march)By Shaimaa Fayed and Marwa AwadCAIRO, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Egyptian police and soldiers fired guns and teargas to try to clear protesters from Cairo's Tahrir Square on Tuesday, the fifth day of clashes that have killed 13 people and drawn a stinging rebuke from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.Clinton condemned as "particularly shocking" incidents such as one in which two Egyptian soldiers were filmed dragging a woman protester on the ground by her black full-body veil, exposing her bra, then clubbing and kicking her."Women protesters have been rounded up and subjected to horrific abuse. Journalists have been sexually assaulted. And now women are being attacked, stripped and beaten in the streets," Clinton said in a speech at Washington's Georgetown University on Monday."This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonours the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform and is not worthy of a great people ..."Women are being beaten and humiliated in the same streets where they risked their lives for the revolution only a few short months ago."Medical sources say 13 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in the violence that began on Friday in Tahrir and nearby streets leading to parliament and the cabinet office.After a night of clashes, gunfire rang out across the square at dawn as security forces charged hundreds of protesters demanding an immediate end to army rule.Later thousands of women marched on the square to condemning attacks on female protesters. But by nightfall the square was calm again.The United States, which saw deposed leader Hosni Mubarak as a staunch ally, gives Cairo $1.3 billion a year in military aid, a commitment that began after Egypt in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel.PRESSURE ON ARMYClinton's remarks, some of the strongest U.S. criticism of Egypt's new rulers, ratchet up pressure on the army. But Western diplomats said it was unlikely Washington would use its aid budget as leverage. U.S. officials have so far praised the army for promising to hand power to civilians.A staggered parliamentary election is under way and the army has pledged to hand power to an elected president by July.The women marchers were dressed in black and accompanied by male demonstrators who vowed to protect them from harassment."The women of Egypt are a red line!" they chanted.Some looked up at male onlookers on surrounding balconies, chanting: "You who are standing by the window, tomorrow it will be your sisters!""This is a continuation of the systematic violence we used to witness (under Mubarak)," said Sarah Rifaat, a 27-year old environmentalist. "They manipulate women, thinking they can break the people and scare them this way."What happened to the girl who was stripped and dragged was sheer savagery. We cannot be silent about this. I want someone from the military council to admit responsibility."In a statement, the army council that took over after Mubarak was overthrown in February apologised, saying it "respects and appreciates Egyptian women and their right to protest and fully participate in political life"."ISOLATED INCIDENT"General Adel Emara, a member of the army council, said on Monday that the attack on the woman protester was an isolated incident and was under investigation.But other generals and their advisers have condemned the pro-democracy protesters, sometimes in extraordinary terms."What is your feeling when you see Egypt and its history burn in front of you?" retired general Abdel Moneim Kato, an army adviser, told the daily al-Shorouk, referring to a government archive building set alight during clashes. "Yet you worry about a vagrant who should be burnt in Hitler's incinerators."Those comments drew fierce criticism from politicians and rights groups, saying they would stir further violence."The least that can be said about such comments is they are irresponsible and he must be punished for them, publicly and transparently," the Arab Network for Human Rights said, adding that "his Nazi opinions incite hatred and justify violence".General Emara said "evil forces" wanted to sow chaos and that soldiers had shown "self-restraint" despite provocation."What is happening does not belong with the revolution and its pure youth, who never wanted to bring down this nation," he said. Despite the actions of the security forces in Tahrir, Emara denied that the army had given orders to clear the square.Hard-core activists have camped in Tahrir since a protest against army rule on Nov. 18, which was sparked by the army-backed cabinet's proposals to permanently shield the military from civilian oversight in the new constitution.A week of mayhem in November killed 42 people.The flare-up has also marred the parliamentary election, which began on Nov. 28 and ends on Jan. 11.Results so far suggest the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood and hardline Salafi Islamists will have a majority in the lower house - groups the West once looked to Mubarak to keep in check.Washington has reached out to Islamists in a shift in approach since the summer. A senior U.S. diplomat met Islamist and other newly elected members of parliament in the northern city of Alexandria, the embassy said on Tuesday. (Additional reporting by Dina Zayed and Alexander Dziadosz; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Alistair Lyon)================Egyptian women protest army's violenceTue, 20 Dec 2011 22:41:07 GMTThousands of Egyptian women have poured on to the streets in the capital city of Cairo to protest the security forces' brutal crackdown on female demonstrators. The protest took place in the landmark Liberation (Tahrir) Square on Tuesday, days after army soldiers harshly beat a woman and ripped off her clothing while dragging her along the ground during a demonstration in the square. Released footage and images of the half-naked female protester has sparked outrage among Egyptians.

"Our honor is a red line,” the women demonstrators shouted while gathering in the square, which has been the site of deadly clashes between Egyptian military forces and protesters since Friday. "They know that people who don't care about their own lives they care about their mother, wife and sister. So they wanted to humiliate the whole Egyptian people by humiliating women because they know it's very sensitive," said a demonstrator, referring to the humiliating conduct of security forces toward female protesters.

They also chanted slogans against the Head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi, calling him a traitor. "[The ruling generals] have to go, they are traitors,” the protesters said. ================'I feel wretched': Woman protester who was stripped and dragged through streets by Egyptian soldiers breaks her silenceWoman beaten, stamped on and had hijab virtually torn off her during horrific assaultElderly female protester filmed being kicked and hit with batons in CairoThree more demonstrators shot dead bringing death toll in four-day clashes to 14Egyptian general claims protesters are attempting to 'topple the state'By WIL LONGBOTTOMLast updated at 9:03 AM on 20th December 2011Comments (38)Share The woman who was dramatically photographed as she was beaten stripped and beaten senseless by Egyptian soldiers does not want to come forward because she is ashamed by her treatment.Footage and stills of the woman being beaten to the ground, kicked and stamped on as her hijab was torn off in Tahrir Square have made front page news around the world.Moments earlier, she had been struck countless times on the head and body with metal batons by a ten-strong mob before losing consciousness and slumping to the floor.Shocking: The defenceless woman had her hijab virtually torn off as she was kicked and stamped on by Egyptian military policeSoldiers then continued the assault, revealing her bra after her abaya was virtually pulled off during the assault.Hassan Mahmoud, a journalist for the newspaper Al Badeel, was near the woman as she stumbled and was then set upon by military police.He told The Guardian: 'They wanted to take her away from us but then a few brave protesters came in and started hurling stones and that was the one thing that saved her from their hands.'The unnamed woman was treated for hand and leg injuries, before she was taken home where she is said to have been left feeling wretched after her ordeal.Veteran: A soldier shoves a wooden baton towards the throat of Khadiga al-Hennawy during protests in the capitalViolence: She is then drag along by her arm before being kicked and beaten with the batonsMr Mahmoud said she told him: 'It doesn't matter if I talk [to the media] or not, their stripping me is enough to reveal them and tell enough to those who still believe them.'Mohamed Zeidan, who filmed the shocking beating from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square, said he stopped recording out of fear of being discovered.'The army were like vultures who found a prey,' he said. 'The soldiers even beat an older couple who tried to help her up.'Another video shows soldiers assaulting an old woman as clashes erupted between protesters and security forces.Khadiga al-Hennawy can be seen being dragged by the hair by two officers, before being kicked and beaten around the arms and back with batons.Known as the 'mother of revolutionaries' because she has taken part in several protests against the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.Crackdown: A young protesters receives treatment to a head wound near Tahrir Square, Cairo, yesterdayClashes: Protesters brave water cannons during a stand off in the square. A total of 14 people have been killed in four days of violent demonstrationsHundreds of soldiers wearing riot gear have today carried out further sweeps through Cairo's Tahrir Square and opened fire on protesters demanding an end to military rule.The Health Ministry said at least three people were killed - bringing the death toll for four days of violent clashes to 14.Clashes have been raging in the capital since Friday, when military forces guarding the Cabinet building near the square cracked down on a three-week sit-in to demand ruling generals immediately hand over power to a civilian authority.The raid may have been an attempt by the military to keep protesters away from key government buildings near the square, including parliament and the Interior Ministry - in charged of the police force.Uprising: Protesters are demanding the the military council in Egypt hands over power to a civilian authority amid concerns they could refuse to cede controlVictims: Two boys show ammunition, including bullets and tear gas canisters, used during the clashesA member of the ruling military council defended the use of force, and argued the events amounted to an attempt to 'topple the state'.Major General Adel Emara said: 'There is a methodical and prepared plot to topple the state, but Egypt will not fall.'What are we supposed to do when protesters break the law? Should we invite people from abroad to govern our nation?'The military council took power 10 months ago after the popular uprising forced longtime president Hosni Mubarak to step down.It has routinely denied the use of excessive force by its troops against protesters, including clashes last month that left more than 40 people dead.Islamist parties won the largest share of the vote in the first round of parliament elections.Stricken: A blood-soaked protesters is carried away by comrades during clashes. The military has been accused of brutally repressing unrestDamage: Officials try to save burnt and torn books from an 18th century research centre set up during the French occupation SharRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076115/Egypt-protests-Woman-stripped-dragged-streets-soldiers-breaks-silence.html#ixzz1h8kEBPTY

========

Egyptians support Brotherhood nominee

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:12:22 GMT

Thousands of Egyptians have voiced support for Muslim Brotherhood (MB) figure and presidential candidate Khairat El-Shater as he registered for the country’s upcoming election, Press TV reports.

“The people want Shater for president,” the supporters chanted as Shater made his way to the election committee’s head office in the capital of Cairo on Thursday.

The 61-year-old was named as the Brotherhood’s candidate last week. He has called for an Islamic and democratic state in Egypt.

The election, which is the first since the ouster of former dictator Husni Mubarak, is to be held on May 23 and 24.

Moreover, the result of the election will be announced in June, at which point the military is expected to hand over power to the winner.

The military has ruled the country since Mubarak was ousted in February 2011.

Egypt's former vice-president, Omar Suleiman, has said he intends to be a candidate in Egypt's presidential elections next month.

He had previously ruled himself out of the race, but changed his mind after demonstrators urged him to run.

Mr Suleiman served as Hosni Mubarak's vice-president before Mr Mubarak was ousted last year.

Salafist candidate Hazem Abu Ismail, and Khairat al-Shater from the Muslim Brotherhood, are also in the race.

In a statement to supporters, Mr Suleiman said he would run if he could get the 30,000 signatures needed by Saturday.

Mr Suleiman is supported by those who say the country is descending into chaos and losing direction, says the BBC's Wyre Davies, in Cairo.

He had previously ruled himself out of the nominations, citing the administrative burden.

Prior to the Egyptian revolution, the former intelligence chief had often been mentioned as a possible successor to the 82-year-old Mr Mubarak.

A close ally of the former president, Mr Suleiman was seen as a pivotal figure in Mr Mubarak's 30-rule rule.
Ultra-conservative

Nominations for the presidential election are due to close this weekend.
Continue reading the main story
Omar Suleiman

Joined army in 1954
Mediated between Israel and the Palestinians
Appointed general intelligence director in 1993
Appointed vice-president 29 January

Profile: Omar Suleiman

The presidential vote is the first since Mr Mubarak was overthrown in February 2011 after a popular uprising.

The military-run caretaker government is due to hand over power in June.

Meanwhile, thousands of Egyptians have protested in Cairo's Tahrir Square in support of a conservative Islamist presidential candidate, Hazem Abu Ismail.

Mr Abu Ismail, who supports an ultra-conservative version of Islam, may be disqualified from May's presidential election on the grounds that his mother was a US citizen.

Muslim Brotherhood candidate Khairat al-Shater registered on Thursday; the party had previously said it would not field a presidential candidate.
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Supporters of Khairat al-Shater - 5 AprilBrotherhood candidate steals show

As Egypt prepares for the presidential election next month, a late entry to the race, the Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater, looks like he might steal the show entirely, Yolande Knell reports.
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2 April 2012 Last updated at 05:39 ET


Egypt candidate: Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater
By Yolande Knell BBC News, Cairo
Khairat al-Shater (24 January 2012) Khairat al-Shater is a media-savvy engineer who became prosperous as a textile and furniture trader
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Egypt's Revolution

Brotherhood candidate steals show
'Moment of truth' for Brotherhood
On a mission to rebuild Egypt
US and Egypt mend fences

In just over a year, the fortunes of Khairat al-Shater have changed dramatically.

He has gone from being a political prisoner to a frontrunner in Egypt's presidential race as the Muslim Brotherhood's chosen candidate.

Even behind bars - where he served 12 years for his association with the previously banned Islamist group - Mr Shater was an influential figure. He was known as its key financier.

Since his release after the fall of President Hosni Mubarak, his importance has grown.

Serving as one of the group's three deputy leaders, he has played a key strategic role and is said to have been involved in negotiations with the ruling military council.

In recent months, the millionaire businessman has developed the Brotherhood's economic policy and met the International Monetary Fund (IMF) team that is negotiating a $3.2bn loan facility with the government.

He has also represented the Muslim Brotherhood at meetings with ambassadors, visiting foreign officials and international investors.

He articulates its moderate Islamist vision - its commitment to democracy, the rights of religious minorities and a free market.

However, he has also said that the recent election results - which led to a parliament dominated by Islamists - indicate that the Egyptian people support an Islamic state.

"There is a current within the Brotherhood that is closer to the [conservative] Salafists," says Mustafa al-Zahran, an expert on Islamist political movements. "Khairat al-Shatar is leading this."

Mr Zahran believes he will be a popular candidate within the wider organisation.

"The nomination of Khairat al-Shater is a smart choice because he has mass popularity among the grassroots membership and a long history of struggle," he adds.
U-turn

In its official statement on Saturday, the Muslim Brotherhood said it had reversed its decision not to nominate a presidential candidate after reviewing the alternatives.
Khairat al-Shater addresses a crowd in Cairo's Tahrir Square (4 March 2011) Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Mr Shater's importance has grown

In a thinly-veiled reference to its ongoing power struggle with the ruling military, it also complained that parliament - where its Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) controls the biggest bloc - had been unable to meet "the demands of the revolution".

Yet there was evidently a heated debated among Brotherhood leaders about whether to back Mr Shater. The vote that finally decided his nomination is understood to have been very close.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

Although I never thought of occupying any executive position in the state or running for it, I can't help but comply with the decision of the group”

Khairat al-Shater

A former deputy leader of the Brotherhood, Mohammad Habib, was quoted on the Masrawy news website describing the outcome as "a fatal mistake" that would "make the group lose its credibility and widen the gap between the Brotherhood and public opinion".

Many younger reformist members of the group have also voiced disappointment. They believe it is Mr Shater who has continued to enforce a hierarchical and insular culture in the group since last year's uprising.

He led efforts to prevent Brotherhood members from dissenting from support of the FJP and sought the expulsion of those who pursued more liberal Islamist politics such as the popular former leader, Abdul Moneim Abu al-Futuh.

"He may be a good person, a good Muslim or a good businessman, but I don't feel comfortable with the choice of Shater," says Islam Lutfi, who was thrown out of the Brotherhood last year after he set up the Egyptian Current party with other activists.

"He plays the role of second man but manages everything from the shadows. These are not the actions of a president."
Into the limelight

For his part, Mr Shater, who is 62, has previously insisted that he does not seek personal power.

He was not present at Saturday's news conference, but the Brotherhood's General Guide, Mohammed Badi, read out a letter in which he resigned from his post in the organisation to run for presidential office.
Khairat al-Shater arrives at a court in Cairo (10 December 2007) Mr Shater was jailed in 2007 by a military court on charges including supplying students with weapons

"Although I never thought of occupying any executive position in the state or running for it, I can't help but comply with the decision of the group," he is said to have written.

Mr Shater is expected to hold a news conference in the coming days to give more details of his plans. It will also give him a chance to begin to raise his public profile.

While many Egyptians already know him as a successful businessman - with furniture and textile stores, a computer firm and chain of supermarkets - he can also stress his image as a family man - he has 10 children.

His supporters think that his reputation for seriousness and as a straight-talker will stand him in good stead.

In the past, Mr Shater has paid a high price for political activism.

Originally a leftist, he was first jailed as an engineering student at Alexandria University when he joined anti-government protests.

As he rose through the ranks of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s and 90s he was targeted increasingly frequently.

In 2006, he was arrested along with other senior members, and jailed in 2007 by a military court on charges that included supplying students with weapons and military training.

While prison terms can bar access to elected office, his lawyers maintain that they will not derail his candidacy.

With that obstacle removed, the extensive network of Brotherhood supporters across Egypt can be expected to translate to huge support for him when the first round of presidential voting takes place in May.
==============


Al-Qaeda/ Salafist Leader

Thousands rally for Salafist in Egypt vote
AFPBy AFP | AFP – 4 hours ago

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Egyptian supporters of Islamist presidential candidate sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail protest outside a Cairo mosque last month. Thousands of people rallied in central Cairo on Friday in support of a Salafist candidate who could be ruled out of Egypt's presidential election because his mother reportedly held US nationality

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Egyptian supporters of Islamist presidential candidate sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail protest outside a Cairo mosque last month. Thousands of people rallied in central Cairo on Friday in support of a Salafist candidate who could be ruled out of Egypt's presidential election because his mother reportedly held US nationality

Thousands of people rallied in central Cairo on Friday in support of a Salafist candidate who could be ruled out of Egypt's presidential election because his mother reportedly held US nationality.

Under the country's electoral law, all candidates for the presidency, their parents and their wives must have only Egyptian citizenship.

"The people want Hazem Abu Ismail! No to manipulation!" the demonstrators shouted after making their way through central Cairo to Tahrir Square, epicentre of last year's revolt which toppled president Hosni Mubarak.

The protesters, including women in full Islamic veil, carried portraits of Abu Ismail and waved their fists, angrily condemning any attempt to disqualify their candidate.

Abu Ismail launched his candidacy on March 30 with a large motorcade that took him to electoral commission headquarters in Cairo.

Commission chief Hatem Begato said on Thursday that the agency had received information according to which Ismail's mother had "used an American passport for travel to and from Egypt" before her death.

Files will be examined on April 12-13 and any candidate not meeting the requirements informed, the commission said. Those rejected would then have 48 hours to appeal before the final list of candidates is announced on April 26.

Abu Ismail advocates a strict interpretation of Islam similar to the one practised in Saudi Arabia and has become a familiar sight in Cairo, with his posters adorning many cars and micro buses.

The May election will mark the beginning of a handover of power by the ruling military to an elected civilian leader, following the popular uprising against Mubarak.

Abu Ismail would compete with more moderate Islamist candidates such as senior Muslim Brotherhood figure Khairat El-Shater as well as former regime figures such as Amr Mussa, an ex-foreign minister.

Islamists have made big strides since Mubarak's ouster, winning majorities in elections to both houses of parliament.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party won the most seats in parliamentary elections earlier this year, but the Salafists captured nearly a quarter themselves.


==========

Exclusive: Mubarak aide presidency bid an "insult": Islamist rival
Sun, Apr 08 15:35 PM EDT
image
1 of 10

By Marwa Awad and Abdel Rahman Youssef

CAIRO (Reuters) - A bid for power by Hosni Mubarak's former intelligence chief is an insult to Egypt's revolution that, if successful, would trigger a second nationwide revolt, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate for Egypt's presidency said.

In his first public comments since being nominated by the Brotherhood on March 31, Khairat al-Shater played down fears of a clash between the powerful Islamist movement and the army generals who have ruled Egypt since Mubarak was ousted last year.

But he warned the Brotherhood would not back a $3.2 billion emergency IMF loan requested by the army-backed government unless the terms are changed or the government steps down and lets a new administration oversee how the funds are spent.

In an interview with Reuters on Sunday, the 61-year-old millionaire businessman denounced former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman's eleventh-hour decision to seek his former boss's job. Mubarak made Suleiman vice president just before losing power.

"I consider his entry an insult to the revolution and the Egyptian people," said Shater, who said he spent 12 years in jail during the Mubarak era. "Omar Suleiman has made a big mistake. He will only win through forgery and, if this happens, the revolution will kick off again."

The military council, which took over from Mubarak in February last year, has said it will hand power to civilians after a presidential election due to be held in May and June. More than 20 candidates completed the formalities to run for head of state and the top contenders are all Islamists or Mubarak-era politicians.

Support from the Brotherhood's formidable campaign machine makes Shater an immediate front-runner in the vote. Suleiman is a dark horse who proved he still wields political clout by quickly collecting the 30,000 signatures of eligible voters that he needed to run.

Violent protests and sectarian clashes have prolonged an economic crisis since Mubarak's overthrow but the streets have returned to relative calm after a parliamentary election as the country's political forces maneuver for influence and the army prepares to step aside.

The Brotherhood, which built support for its project of an Islamic state through decades of preaching and charity work, was suppressed by Mubarak but shifted to the centre-stage of politics after the January 2011 popular uprising begun by liberal and left-wing revolutionaries.

It promised not to monopolize power in the style of Mubarak and his associates but its Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) now has almost half the seats in parliament and dominates an assembly tasked with drawing up a new constitution. Now it has reversed a pledge not to field a candidate for the presidency.

AVOID CLASH

Shater, who stepped down as Brotherhood deputy leader to run for the presidency, said the decision was motivated by fear that the army-backed government was failing to cooperate with the Brotherhood-dominated parliament and the movement needed an executive post in case the assembly lacked teeth.

But he said a clash with the military - backbone of national security - must be avoided.

"Even if there are issues with the military council's handling of the transitional period, such issues must be resolved in a way that does not lead to a real clash with the armed forces," he said. "We must, in fact, work to strengthen and develop the army."

Egypt's new government would exercise civilian oversight over the armed forces' budget and their business interests, said Shater.

The military makes substantial profits from an extensive and tax-exempt business empire that ranges from real estate and heavy industry to home cleaning services and gasoline stations.

"It is not just taxing the military that is an issue. There is the problem of conscripts who are forced to work in army economic projects without payment. What about the land that the army controls for free? All these issues will be addressed by the new government," Shater added.

Should he reach the presidency, Shater said he would seek to reform government institutions and society on the basis of Islamic teachings. "Our foremost aim is achieving progress based on Islamic principles".

Egypt's military-appointed government began negotiating a loan with the International Monetary Fund in January to help it avert a balance of payments crisis.

The IMF has said broad political support in Egypt is a pre-requisite for the loan deal and the Brotherhood has yet to provide its backing. The government now says the talks might not conclude before June.

"We told them (the government), you have two choices. Either postpone this issue of borrowing and come up with any other way of dealing with it without our approval, or speed up the formation of a government," Shater said.

The Brotherhood could also accept a loan if the size of the initial disbursement is reduced so that most of the funds are paid out after a new government takes power following the completion of a presidential vote in June, he added.

(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Patrick Werr; Writing by Marwa Awad; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer and Giles Elgood)

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Egypt clashes over army rule leave up to 11 dead
Wed, May 02 15:11 PM EDT
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By Tamim Elyan and Sherine El Madany

CAIRO (Reuters) - Eleven people were killed in Cairo on Wednesday, medics said, when armed men attacked protesters demanding an end to army rule, prompting several candidates to suspend presidential campaigns and heightening doubts on the transition to democracy.

Leaders from Islamist and secular camps blamed the trouble on hired "thugs" doing the bidding of entrenched interests behind military rule and warned the generals not to use it as a pretext to delay their departure; the army reaffirmed its stated commitment to handing power to civilians by July.

Unidentified men armed with guns and batons attacked demonstrators who included hundreds of ultraconservative Salafi Islamists protesting at their candidate's exclusion from the ballot for a first-round presidential vote on May 23 and 24.

For hours after the dawn raid, the security forces seemed unable or unwilling to put an end to the violence. As fighting raged near the Defence Ministry in the Abbasiya district of central Cairo, Reuters reporters saw men carrying guns, even a sword, while protesters threw rocks, bottles and petrol bombs.

Only in the afternoon did riot police arrive in large numbers to break up the bloody melee and the clashes abated.

Democracy campaigners blasted the military rulers of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), which took over 15 months ago as veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak was brought down by mass street protests during the Arab Spring of uprisings.

"SCAF and the government unable to protect civilians or in cahoots with thugs. Egypt going down the drain," tweeted Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel Prize-winning former U.N. official.

ARMY PLEDGE

Members of the SCAF met representatives of political parties and repeated a pledge to hold elections on time. Politicians who were present said they even offered to return to barracks over a month before the July deadline - in the albeit unlikely event that one of the 13 first-round candidates wins outright in May.

A runoff between the top two contenders would be in June.

However, the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest Islamist group which dominates a parliament elected in December, refused to join talks with the generals, saying Wednesday's violence showed the army was trying to "obstruct the handover of power".

The Brotherhood's presidential candidate Mohamed Mursi suspended campaigning for two days, saying they would be mourning the dead. Several political groups said they would call on followers to mass in central Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday.

"I think it will be the practical response to all of what is happening now, be it the blood being spilt or the foot-dragging in the defined date for handing over power," said senior Brotherhood official Essam el-Erian.

The other leading Islamist candidate, Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, suspended campaigning indefinitely in protest at the way the authorities had handled the clashes, a spokesman said.

Abol Fotouh and former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, the frontrunner among those with past ties to Mubarak, are seen as the most likely candidates to contest a head-to-head runoff.

On Twitter, Abol Fotouh said he could not now take part in an unprecedented televised debate with Moussa planned for Thursday "when today our youths are drowning in their blood".

The hosting TV channel also said the event was delayed.

Moussa said: "The number of dead and injured foreshadows a disaster and it is unacceptable for security agencies to stand and watch as clashes continue and blood is shed."

STREET BATTLE

Medical and judicial sources gave a toll of 11 dead and over 160 wounded. The Interior Ministry said seven had died.

Ahmed Shahir, 24, a pharmacology student working at a makeshift clinic set up the scene, said men he described as thugs fired shots at an encampment of protesters including supporters of Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, the Salafi cleric barred from the election, and members of pro-democracy youth movements.

Local residents joined in the attack on the protesters.

Among the protesters were hardcore soccer fans and diehard secular revolutionaries skilled in street combat who dashed back and forth across debris-scattered streets, hurling rocks.

Wounded men were hauled away and others filled bottles with gasoline to throw at their opponents. Shots rang out and a Reuters journalist saw at least one attacker wielding a sword.

"Where is the army? Why are they not stopping these people?" cried a bystander.

The army, hailed as national savior when it rallied behind protesters last year to oust fellow military man Mubarak, sent troops to the scene. But some armored vehicles then beat a retreat when protesters attacked an officer who was taking video footage. Riot police later arrived in larger numbers and separated the two sides. The violence subsided by the afternoon.

Days of street violence also preceded the start of a staggered parliamentary election in November. That vote, Egypt's first democratic election after six decades of rule by a succession of military autocrats, was mostly smooth.

Official campaigning for the presidential election began this week under a cloud, with the Brotherhood demanding that the army sack the cabinet of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri.

Parliament suspended its work for several days, saying the government was failing to respect its decisions.

Many Egyptians suspect the generals, who have built up vast economic and business interests over the years, will seek a strong influence even after the new president assumes power.

The latest unrest, limited to Cairo, was on too small a scale so far to influence the election, said Mustapha Kamel Al-Sayyid, a political science professor at Cairo University.

"These are small groups," he said, adding that the violence could harden public attitudes against continued military rule.

(Additional reporting by Edmund Blair, Shaimaa Fayed, Tom Perry, Ahmed Tolba, Marwa Awad and Dina Zayed; Writing by Tom Pfeiffer; Editing by Alistair Lyon and Alastair Macdonald)

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