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Muslim Brotherhood supporters (Photo: Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images

650 pro-Morsi protesters arrested, transition plan rejected

Brotherhood activists detained for attempting to storm military facility. As temporary leadership names interim PM, Brotherhood rejects new timetable, setting fast track for amending Islamist-drafted constitution, holding new elections by next year

An Egyptian security official says 650 people, mostly backers of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, have been detained for allegedly trying to storm a military facility, an incident the military claims sparked violence that left more than 50 pro-Morsi protesters dead.

 

The detainees were largely pro-Morsi protesters seized during clashes early Monday outside the Republican Guard headquarters. Protesters and Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood deny any attack took place on the headquarters, saying troops opened fire on their sit-in nearby as the protesters finished dawn prayers.

 

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The security official said Syrian and Palestinian nationals were among those arrested. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

 

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has called nationwide protests against what it calls a military coup against democracy.

 

Meanwhile, Egypt's interim president on Tuesday named liberal economist and former Finance Minister Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister in a transitional government, as the authorities sought to steer the country to new parliamentary and presidential elections.

 

Acting head of state Adli Mansour also appointed former UN nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei as deputy to the president, responsible for foreign affairs.

 

The hardline Islamist Nour Party, which has held up the political process by objecting to several candidates put forward by military-backed interim authorities, said it would support Beblawi's appointment. The head of the party added that it was still studying ElBaradei's appointment.

 

Transition plan rejected

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood on Tuesday rejected a new timetable announced by the military-backed interim leadership that sets a fast track for amending the Islamist-drafted constitution and holding new parliamentary and presidential elections by early next year.

 

The quick issuing of the transition plan showed how Egypt's new leadership is shrugging off Islamists' vows to reverse the military's ousting of President Mohamed Morsi and wants to quickly entrench a post-Morsi political system.

 

Egypt's military also likely aims to show the United States and other Western nations that the country is moving quickly back to an elected civilian leadership. Washington has expressed concern over the removal of Egypt's first freely elected president, and if the US government determines that the army's move qualifies as a coup it would have to cut off more than a $1 billion in aid to Egypt, mostly to the military. The Obama administration has said doing so would not be in US interests.


תומכי האחים בקהיר. הם לא מתכוונים לוותר (צילום: AFP)

Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Cairo (Photo: AFP)


מנהיג האחים המוסלמים: להתקומם נגד הצבא (צילום: AFP)

(Photo: AFP)

 

Essam el-Erian, a senior Brotherhood figure and deputy head of its Freedom and Justice Party, rejected the transition timetable, saying it takes the country "back to zero."

 

"The cowards are not sleeping, but Egypt will not surrender. The people created their constitution with their votes," he wrote on his Facebook page, referring to the constitution that Islamists pushed to finalization and then was passed in a national referendum during Morsi's year in office.

 

He said the military and its allies were targeting "not just the president but the nation's identity, the rights and freedoms of the people and the democratic system enshrined in the constitution."


תמונות הנשיא המודח בקהיר. רבים זוכרים לו חסד (צילום: EPA)

Ousted Morsi posters in Cairo (Photo: EPA)

 

The constitution passed under Morsi – and suspended since his fall – was written by an assembly created by the first post-Mubarak parliament, elected in 2011-2012. But the panel was deeply controversial.

 

Reflecting the parliament, the constituent assembly had a strong Islamist majority. Most non-Islamists eventually abandoned the assembly, complaining that the Brotherhood and its allies were imposing their will. Courts were considering whether to dissolve the panel but Morsi unilaterally decreed that they could not while his allies rushed to finalize the draft.

 

The final version had a strong Islamist flavor, deepening requirements for laws to abide by Shariah. The document passed in a referendum with around 60 percent of the vote – but only around 30 percent of voters casting ballots.

 

Under the timetable issued Monday by interim president Adli Mansour, two appointed panels would be created.

 

One, made up of judges, would come up with amendments. The other, larger body consisting of representatives of society and political movements would debate the amendments and approve them.

 

The new constitution would be put to a referendum within 4.5 months from now.

 

Elections for a new parliament would be held within two months of that. Once the new parliament convenes, it would have a week to set a date for presidential elections.

 

Reuters contributed to this report.

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 07.09.13, 18:04
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