PressTV - Anti-US sentiments on rise in Egypt following Morsi’s ouster

PressTV - Anti-US sentiments on rise in Egypt following Morsi’s ouster Anti-US sentiments on rise in Egypt following Morsi’s ouster

Mon Jul 15, 2013 1:31PM GMT

Anti-US sentiments are on the rise in Egypt as both supporters and opponents of ousted president, Mohamed Morsi, accuse Washington of orchestrating a plot aimed at destabilizing the North African country, Press TV reports.

The opponents of the ousted leader claim Morsi’s government and the Muslim Brotherhood had been backed by the US administration.

However, pro-Morsi groups accuse the US of lending support to the Egyptian military in overthrowing the country’s freely-elected president.

They also say the Washington is reluctant to cut military and economic assistance to Egypt despite an American law which clearly states that no aid will be given to a regime that topples a democratically-elected one with a coup.

On July 3, Egypt Army Chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced that Morsi was no longer in office. Sisi also suspended the Egyptian constitution and dissolved the parliament.

The army also declared chief justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, as interim president on July 4.

Essam el-Erian, who is the deputy head of Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), said after Morsi was elected, he “visited India, China, Brazil, and South Africa, and this was a very big change in the foreign policies of Egypt.”

He added that a US-Israeli alliance in the region sought to stop that trend.

On Monday, US Undersecretary of State Bill Burns visited Cairo to hold talks with leaders of Egypt's new military-backed government.

Washington says Burns will push for “an end to all violence and a transition leading to an inclusive, democratically elected civilian government.”

The White House has not characterized the recent events in Egypt as a ‘coup’ and declined to call for Morsi to be returned to power. The Obama administration has only urged Morsi’s release from custody.

The interim leaders of Egypt’s military-backed administration say Morsi is being held in a “safe place, for his own safety.” 

Egypt orders arrest of 7 Muslim Brotherhood leaders

LAST UPDATE

Mon Jul 15, 2013 5:17PM GMT

Egypt’s public prosecutor has ordered the arrest of seven Muslim Brotherhood leaders amid simmering tensions in the country.

The arrest order was issued on Monday for inciting violence between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood in the days before and after Mohamed Morsi was ousted as president of Egypt.

The top Brotherhood officials have been charged with "inciting violence, funding violent acts, and thuggery."

Party leaders Essam el-Erian and Mohamed el-Beltagy, who attended a fresh pro-Morsi demonstration on Monday, are on the list. They were included in a similar list last week for inciting violence.

Thousands of Morsi’s supporters staged a fresh demonstration calling for the reinstatement of the unseated president.

The Egyptian military has warned that it will respond with "utmost severity and firmness and force" if protesters tried to approach or break into its bases.

Egypt plunged into violence after the country’s powerful military ousted Morsi, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the parliament on July 3.

The army declared chief justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, as interim president on July 4.

Since then, Egypt has been the scene of rival rallies and clashes between thousands of the supporters and opponents of the ousted president.

On Sunday, the former head of the UN nuclear agency and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohamed ElBaradei was sworn in as interim vice president for foreign relations.

The Muslim Brotherhood has refused to participate in the new government. The group has vowed to keep protesting until Morsi is restored to power.

Army officials said the ousted president, who took office in June 2012, was being held “preventively” by the military. 

Egyptian military plans Sinai operation amid violent attacks

LAST UPDATE

Mon Jul 15, 2013 5:49PM GMT

The Egyptian army is preparing to launch an offensive against militants in Sinai Peninsula following several instances of violence in the area.

The militants’ attacks in Sinai have risen since the ouster of former president, Mohamed Morsi, and during the past two weeks they have launched almost daily assaults on military and police forces in the region.

In the latest incident early on Monday, three workers from a cement factory were killed in an attack by militants in the north Sinai town of el-Arish.

The Egyptian army “will carry out an operation” in the Sinai, AFP quoted a top military official as saying.

He added that the army knew names and locations of the militant leaders, noting that most of the militants “live with their family, in villages.”

The operation will be approached carefully as the army seeks to avoid friction with civilians, the military official said, adding, “...we don't want things to take us to a stage that affects our national security.”

Egypt plunged into violence after the country’s powerful military ousted Morsi, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the parliament on July 3.

The army declared chief justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mansour, as interim president on July 4.

Since then, Egypt has been the scene of rival rallies and clashes between thousands of the supporters and opponents of the ousted president. 

Riot police, Morsi supporters clash again

Tue Jul 16, 2013 5:12AM GMT

Fresh clashes have erupted between Egyptian riot police and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi calling for his reinstatement.

The scuffles broke out in central Cairo on Monday as pro-Morsi protesters tried to block Ramses Street, one of the main thoroughfares in Cairo, demanding Morsi’s return to office.

The security forces fired tear gas and birdshots to break up the demonstrations and cut off access to Ramses Street and the October 6th Bridge across the Nile, eyewitnesses said.

According to medical sources, nearly two dozen people have been injured in the latest confrontations and many have been arrested.

Tension goes on as the US hails the post-coup situation as “a second chance” for democracy in the African country.

“The United States is firmly committed to helping Egypt succeed in this second chance to realize the promise of the revolution,” Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns said after his visit to Cairo.

Burns’ remarks sparked outrage among Egyptians.

The Tamarod (Rebels for Arabic) movement which organized anti-Morsi demonstrations, refused to meet with Burns and U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson, accusing the United states of supporting Muslim Brotherhood and Israel.

The Salafist Nour party also rejected what they called “American interference in Egyptian affairs,” according to Egyptian Media.

Tension has intensified since the Egyptian army pushed President Mohamd Morsi aside and suspended the constitution and dissolved the parliament on July 3 and declared the chief justice of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, Adli Mansour, as interim president within the day.

This is while Egypt’s public prosecutor has ordered the arrest of seven Muslim Brotherhood leaders for inciting violence between supporters and opponents of the Muslim Brotherhood in the days before and after Mohamed Morsi was ousted as president of Egypt. 

Putin Orders Snap Drills In Russia's Eastern Military District

July 14, 2013 • 12:46PM

Russian forces of the Eastern Military District began snap drills on July 12. According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, initially 81,000 (already very large) troops were involved in the exercise but by this morning, that number had nearly doubled to 160,000 , with 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships from the Pacific Fleet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the snap drill on Friday evening and, according to RIA Novosti, it is the third such surprise combat readiness check since January, although by EIR's count, it seems to actually be the fourth, with drills have been conducted by the Black Sea Fleet, the Central Military District and the air borne troops. There were also two air defense drills in May and June.

Putin issued the order from Prokhorovka, where he was visiting on the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Prokhorovka (July 13-17, 1943, main engagement July 12) - one of the biggest tank battles of all time (1000 tanks, with the famous T-34 starring), and a crucial event in the Soviet counteroffensive to the German Operation Citadel against the Kursk Salient, known overall as the Battle of Kursk. Russian TV showed military archeologists walking through the woods with metal detectors, showing how the Earth literally groans from the amount of metal still under the surface, from this battle.

U.S. Says Israel Air Strike Targeted Russian Missiles in Syria

July 15, 2013 • 10:50AM

According to the New York Times, American officials said on Saturday that Israel carried out an air attack in Syria this month that targeted advanced antiship cruise missiles sold to the Syrian government by Russia. LaRouchePAC reported on these attacks as speculation, reported widely in the Arab press and later backed by unidentified U.S. sources.

The officials, who declined to be identified because they were discussing intelligence reports, said the attack occurred July 5 near Latakia, Syria's principal port city.

The attack against the missiles came to light after Syrian rebels said that they were not responsible for large explosions at Latakia on July 5, and that a missile warehouse had been hit.

The strike near Latakia, first reported by CNN, was the fourth known Israeli air attack against targets in Syria this year.