American killed in Egyptian clashes as Brotherhood offices attacked

[سيف الله]

Salaam

An update on whats happening in Egypt. Looks like its going to get ugly

US citizen dies in Alexandria as tensions rise between supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi

Egypt suffered renewed outbreaks of violence on Friday as Muslim Brotherhood offices were attacked in at least four provinces, two days before the scheduled start of mass protests against the president and Brotherhood associate Mohamed Morsi

Two people were killed in Alexandria on Friday – one was an American bystander who was watching an attack on local Brotherhood offices – and 70 were injured. Clashes were reported in several other cities between Morsi's often secular-minded critics, who seek his immediate resignation, and his allies in the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups, who defend his democratic legitimacy.

The US updated its advice to its citizens on Friday, asking them to defer non-essential travel to Egypt "due to the continuing possibility of political and social unrest". The US state department withdrew some non-emergency staff and family members from the country.

Six people have been killed in the renewed violence this week. According to Brotherhood officials, a former MP from their political wing, the Freedom and Justice party, was among the dead on Thursday.

Many fear far worse on Sunday. Opposition activists claim that 15 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling for Morsi's departure, while his supporters say 11 million have signed one asking for him to stay. Spokesmen for both factions blamed the other side for starting the clashes, with the Brotherhood claiming some violence was fomented by forces still loyal to ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak – a claim rebutted by anti-Morsi activists.

Much of the opposition, who view Morsi as incompetent and authoritarian, hope Egypt's military will intervene and facilitate a transition of power. Morsi, inaugurated last year as Egypt's first democratically elected president, emphasised in a speech on Wednesday that he was the army's commander-in-chief. But a senior military source said the army may act if protests reach the same scale as those that toppled Mubarak in 2011.

Such an outcome would not be taken lying down by Morsi's supporters. "This would not be like the fall of Mubarak," said Nathan Brown, professor of Middle Eastern politics at George Washington University. "A lot of people co-operated with the Mubarak regime, but there were very few who would voluntarily and enthusiastically turn out on the streets for him. The Brotherhood is very different."

Egypt's leading Islamic authority underlined the severity of the threat facing the country. "Vigilance is required to ensure we do not slide into civil war," said Sheikh Hassan al-Shafie – a senior cleric at al-Azhar, a 1,000-year-old mosque and university often considered the highest seat of learning in the Sunni Islam world.

Such fears may yet prove highly exaggerated, especially as no faction controls formal militias. But Egypt is clearly polarised, as shown by two competing rallies in Cairo on Friday. In Tahrir Square, thousands of Morsi critics gathered in a dress rehearsal for Sunday's protests, chanting: "Banish the murshid [the Brotherhood leader] and all who are with him."

Five miles away, near the presidential palace, hundreds of thousands gathered in defence of his office and his beliefs. "Islam, Islam," some shouted. "Islam in spite of liberalism."

With both sides waving Egyptian flags, there was a sense that the rallies constituted two competing and irreconcilable visions of Egypt: one Islamist, the other secular – though still religious.

But there were signs that the ideological divide was not unbridgeable.

"I'm not here for religious reasons, I'm just here to respect the office of the presidency," said Tariq Shabasy, a lawyer who is a former member of Kefaya, the liberal Mubarak-era protest movement – and a surprising attendee at the pro-Morsi rally.

Nevertheless, the rally may eventually play a role in any full-on factional fighting. Its attendees started a sit-in on Friday night, promising to defend the nearby presidential palace should state officials fail to prevent anti-Morsi protesters from breaching it in the coming days.

Elsewhere there were hints of a media crackdown, with a prominent opposition media baron, Mohamed al-Amin,– who owns a newspaper critical of the president and a TV station that hosts the satirist Bassem Youssef – banned from leaving the country. Morsi attacked Amin in a Wednesday night speech for not paying his taxes.

Another opposition talkshow host, Tawfiq Okasha, was arrested on Thursday and his channel shut down. The investment minister, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, also sacked representatives of three private channels from the board of a state-run body that helps regulate television. Several private channels were threatened with closure.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Video update

[Jedi_Mindset]

The anti-morsi protests have already being signed by around 15 million people, the pro-morsi rallies will be very large as well. hope they wont class, its going to get ugly indeed, US has already put some troops on stand by if their interests will be attacked.

[جوري]

being signed by around 15 million people

lol.. we all saw the guy forging in the balcony by street cameras of course didn't make it to corporate news but even he had to take a break, there are no 15 million anti Mursi signatures all the Christians of Egypt and the Mubarak orphans don't constitute that much of the population.

perhaps it needs to get ugly so we can get rid of the ugly in our midst.. as a wise scholar once said when you prepare for war, save nine bullets for traitors and one for your enemy for it is they who cause fitna and they who enable outsiders in!

and if you can read Arabic then have a look at the real numbers here:
http://islammemo.cc/akhbar/arab/2013/06/29/175040.html

Also the Egyptian army which is conscript of the people isn't going to do what was done in Algeria with the Islamists even if the kaffirs may detest it. a true victory from is upon us.. labor is always difficult but worth it when a new beautiful life is born!

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum

I think that Egyptians have a long way to the real democracy - if they even are looking for it.

It is not to go to the roads to kill others.

[جوري]

Only those toting liberalism, democracy and free speech are doing the killing. They neither want true democracy for it hasn't brought them what they desire which is the darkness of the old regime. Nor do they give a chance for others to express themselves, and only they kill a man of four while performing Asr prayer in a mosque or torch infrastructure of Muslims and everything else they can do in between to wreak havoc and carnage. My cousin had a gun to his at 11 in the morning while waiting for friends to pick him up. It wasn't 'Muslim brotherhood' or 'Mursi' behind it, rather the paid thugs of the old regime which are heavily funded by the west and Mubarak from behind bars and everyone in Egypt with a brain that function knows it.

Obama can stand to give a speech on the riots on Brazil than the ones of Egypt but why would the west drop the hypocrisy for a day? they love that kind of chaos they foment it!

[Karl]

Maybe Egypt could be split up. All the commercial tourist traps could be non Muslim and other areas Muslim. Just like Bali is in Indonesia. At least you would get all the tax money for the entire nation.

[جوري]

And don't you think that's their plan too including the killing of the American to get America involved in the scam to divide it into four Nubian/ Christian Sinai and lower Egypt which is its upper part!
It won't happen Karl!
Egypt is Islamic and all the manure multiplied by all the media in the world still is no more than ten percent that will submit either of their own free will or by force!
The **** of Egypt just want a similar style military coup to echo that of Algeria against Muslims but it will NOT happen in ارض الكنانة and let them all ride their highest horse!

[Karl]

And don't you think that's their plan too including the killing of the American to get America involved in the scam to divide it into four Nubian/ Christian Sinai and lower Egypt which is its upper part!
It won't happen Karl!
Egypt is Islamic and all the manure multiplied by all the media in the world still is no more than ten percent that will submit either of their own free will or by force!
The **** of Egypt just want a similar style military coup to echo that of Algeria against Muslims but it will NOT happen in ارض الكنانة and let them all ride their highest horse!

But isn't submission to God a choice? If God does not force people to be Muslims then Muslims cannot be righteous to force Islam upon others.

[Aprender]

Muslims cannot be righteous to force Islam upon others.

How is implementing Shariah law in its entirety forcing Islam upon others? No one is making a non-Muslim say the shahada if they were to live under Islamic rule. There are many aspects of Islamic governance that is appealing to non-Muslims and historically non-Muslims have flourished under Muslim governments.

Karl, I'm a revert to Islam and a political science and history enthusiast. Have you studied what Islamic governance is and what it entails? I cannot understand how some (and my dear respected brother I'm not talking about you in specifics here) can consider themselves Muslims but advocate democracy when The Lord of the Worlds has given us something even better than that.

[جوري]

Actually Egypt is far from implementing sharia still pretty secular but Karl here has many things wrong with his understanding of Islam often talks like a non Muslim who's interested in prepubertal girls at any rate it isn't an issue I don't actually expect someone who's not read in its constitution or understands the nuances of what's going on to understand I do however expect him to understand the basic principles of western style democracy you don't for instance split off with 49% of the us because you don't like the liberal laws if Obama

[Muhaba]

The problem is that when secularists get the government and Islamists aren't happy with it, the islamists are the ones who have to be patient, because secularists got the government democratically. Any riots or protests by islamists are suppressed and islamists who protest are called anti-democratic, etc. But when Islamists rightfully get the government through a democratic process, secularists cause a commotion and don't stop at anything. In this case, the secularists are right and the Islamists are at fault.

This is just awful! May Allah help the Muslims.

[Trumble]

I thought this had far less to do with 'Islamists', 'secularists' and Sharia than the perception Morsi had failed to keep election promises, and that his policies were sending the economy down the toilet?

Which is, of course, probably just as true as any other democratically elected administration around at the moment. 'Demonstrators' from both sides just need to quieten down, go home and plan their campaigns for the next election. Members of the administration need to actively encourage all freedom of expression and not close and threaten media outlets, whether they like or approve of their output or not. It becomes far too easy to claim - and even come to actually believe - that what is in 'our' interests must necessarily be in the people's interests.

[جوري]

Mursi kept most of his promises there are no quick fixes and his achievements to date are listed for all to see- the economy which he inherited will take a while it's not his fault the country was run by mafiosos who took billions if blood money to Swiss banks under foreign names!
Everyone can see his salary as well by the media *****s you listen to especially in egypt make millions it's all really quite amusing.
So far the anti mursi demonstrators have been doing all the killing I guess these are the liberal values they wish to maintain two days ago they killed a father of four during asr prayers not sure how much lower can they get shooting a man in the back and inside a sanctuary they want hell in Egypt it will afflict only them inshallah Allah and how can he fix more with that crap going on daily they've stood in the way of every decision he made including the desire to get a parliament under way they're nothing but a bunch of **** hooligans orphans of the old regime composed of ***** actresses criminals he let out of prison and Christians who are always conspiring they did it with every invader that has knocked on egypts doors and it's listed their traitorousness when Napoleon entered Egypt killed maimed and stole entire temples with their aid!

No matter we will watch and see and victory to the salves of Allah victory is to the most persevering!
Btw I am no mursi fan prefer Abu ismael but this is who the people elected and a bunch of refuse terrorizing people won't change that choice!

[Jedi_Mindset]

Btw I am no mursi fan prefer Abu ismael but this is who the people elected and a bunch of refuse terrorizing people won't change that choice!

Really? I would've loved to see him rule egypt. Felt like this man had some sense. He got disqualified from the election campaign right?

[جوري]

Yes, he got disqualified by the same thugs trying to do the same thing with Mursi now.. Of course the brotherhood holds the biggest threat because they're the most organized party.

[Signor]

As far as I know the problem,there is so much division and anger because of several reasons, fueled by extremist, deceiving media, economic frustration, and a reaction of years of political oppression. The voice of moderation, compassion, tolerance is unheard now.

[جوري]

How do you define extremists in this context please? the only ones doing the killing are black bloc thugs and the opposition or as they're known the orphans of Mubarak.. of course they're heavily funded, mubarak had best use his billions wisely to wreak havoc!
here's a youtube video of the cops vowing to kill the dogs i.e the Muslims:

the only extremists in any spot of the Muslims world are western sponsored thugs and liberals and the church of satan!

[Signor]

^^who on Earth is in disagreement with you here,I am and will remain Anti Mubarak(not a personal conflict but on the basis of his actions).

Right now I didn't describe who is doing what,We don't need to know the faces but to know the powers which are governing people.This is why also I wrote

deceiving media, economic frustration, and a reaction of years of political oppression.

Indeed,Hidden hands are fueling the fire

Fidel Castro once said:
No thieves, no traitors, no interventionists! This time the revolution is for real!

[جوري]

who on Earth is in disagreement with you here

What's wrong with asking you to define who, you believe the extremists to be? I think it is fair since you put it out there, I don't see it as a disagreement rather a point that needs elucidation!

[Karl]

How is implementing Shariah law in its entirety forcing Islam upon others? No one is making a non-Muslim say the shahada if they were to live under Islamic rule. There are many aspects of Islamic governance that is appealing to non-Muslims and historically non-Muslims have flourished under Muslim governments.

Karl, I'm a revert to Islam and a political science and history enthusiast. Have you studied what Islamic governance is and what it entails? I cannot understand how some (and my dear respected brother I'm not talking about you in specifics here) can consider themselves Muslims but advocate democracy when The Lord of the Worlds has given us something even better than that.

I don't advocate democracy. I just thought that the areas of pagan wonders the tourists want to see could be non Muslim so business can thrive there. Areas with Muslim culture and lots of devout Muslims could be Sharia. Or would it be better to rip all the pagan wonders down and get rid of tourism? Money being the root of all evil.