EGYPT INVITES PRO-MILITARY AND THREATENS PRO-MURSI IN OCTOBER WAR CELEBRATION
Cairo, 2 Dhul Hijja 1434/6 October 2013 (MINA) – Egypt’s military has invited pro-military citizens to Cairo’s Tahrir Square on Sunday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Egypt’s 1973 military victory over Israel, but military threatened to act tough against supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
Egyptian pro-military converged on central Cairo’s Tahrir Square from the early hours of Sunday, Anadolu Agency quopted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.
Raising the national flag and holding photos of army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, scores of people made their presence strongly felt at the entrances of the square, the iconic center of the 2011 revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak and a boiling point of anger against president Mohamed Morsi, who was unseated by the army on July 3.
The lobby group Tamarod (Rebellion), which had spearheaded a popular campaign to demand the removal of Morsi, also urged followers to mark October 6.
Contrary to Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood supporters, authorities in Egypt have warned against anti-army protests as the country celebrates the 40th anniversary of an attack on Israel, saying any protesters will be regarded as agents of foreign powers, Al Jazeera reports.
The warning came in response to calls by the Muslim Brotherhood for fresh demonstrations during the day. Brotherhood supporters have been staging protests against the military coup that toppled President Morsi on July 3.
Until 10:00 a.m. local time Egyptian military and policemen had barred any one from entering Tahrir Square, using barbed wire and armored vehicles to keep people away.
The army has placed several metal detectors at the entrances as part of the measures taken to secure the event.
At one entrance to the square, groups of vigilantes wearing lemon-yellow vests stood to search people to make sure that they did not have weapons.
Pro-democracy groups are planning marches and mass protests on Sunday against Morsi’s ouster and to mark the October victory.
The Youth against the Military Coup movement has announced plans to converge on Tahrir Square for the same reason.
Overhead, fighter jets roared in the sky, in a two-fold message to supporters and opponents.
Armored vehicles and army tanks were deployed on almost every major street in Cairo, while policemen were seen in different places sticking to their guns and wearing their bulletproof vests. (T/P09/P04).
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
