Al Sissi urges rallies for Egypt anti-terror mandate
Three killed in fresh violence as Brotherhood vows more protests
Cairo: Egypt’s Defence Minister Abdul Fattah Al Sissi has urged Egyptians to take to the streets on Friday to show solidarity for the army, which toppled Islamist president Mohammad Mursi, and give the military a mandate to act against a violent aftermath.
“I ask honourable Egyptians to take to the streets on Friday to give us a mandate to face potential violence and terrorism,” Al Sissi, the architect of Mursi’s removal, told a ceremony in Cairo.
“I want Egyptians to show the whole world, as they did on June 30, that they have their own willpower and decisions.”
The army deposed Mursi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, on July 3 — three days after millions of Egyptians rallied against his rule. More than 100 people have been killed across Egypt since Mursi’s toppling.
“Egyptians have to bear responsibility with the army and police to face what is happening,” said Al Sissi, hours after three people were killed and dozens injured in two separate attacks in Egypt.
The Brotherhood has also called for huge protests on Friday against what it calls a military coup against “legitimacy”, raising fears about more deadly clashes.
Al Sissi, who was appointed to the post by Mursi in August, denied he had deceived the Islamist leader.
“The Armed Forces dealt honestly and sincerely with the elected leader and did not betray him,” he added, referring to Mursi, who was Egypt’s first democratically elected president. Al Sissi said all the statements he issued in the past months in bids to resolve a deep crisis between Mursi and the opposition had been “shown to the former president”.
He denied claims that the army is divided over Mursi’s overthrow. “The Egyptian army is united. The Egyptian army takes its orders only from the Egyptian people.”
A senior Brotherhood official slammed Al Sissi’s call.
“The millions will take to the streets, but to say No to the coup leaders and reject the coup against legitimacy,” said Essam Al Erian. “Your (Al Sissi’s) threat will not stop millions from constantly protesting,” he added on his Facebook page.
The Brotherhood has vowed to continue street protests until Mursi’s reinstatement amid accusation from security agencies that the group’s leaders are inciting violence.
The Brotherhood charges that police hired thugs to attack its peaceful rallies.
One policeman was killed and some 30 injured when a bomb exploded early on Wednesday at a security building in the Nile Delta city of Mansura, said state media. A presidential aide condemned the incident as a terrorist attack.
Two Mursi supporters were, meanwhile, killed in Cairo in what the Brotherhood said was an attack by policemen wearing plain clothes on a march backing the ousted Islamist leader.
