Armed Gangs Attack Egypt Jails, Free Militants
CAIRO - Gangs of armed men attacked at least four jails across Egypt before dawn Sunday, helping to free hundreds of Muslim militants and thousands of other inmates as police vanished from the streets of Cairo and other cities.
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo told its citizens in Egypt to consider leaving the country as soon as possible, and said it had authorized the voluntary departure of dependents and non-emergency employees, a display of Washington's escalating concern about the stability of its closest Arab ally.
The army sent hundreds more troops and armored vehicles onto the streets of Cairo and other cities but appeared to be taking little action against gangs of young men with guns and large sticks who were smashing cars and robbing people.
At least one Nile-side shopping mall in Cairo was on fire after being looted the previous day.
Live Blogging of Egypt Unrest: Day Six
Special Report: Anger in the Arab World
The Arab world's most populous nation appeared to be swiftly moving closer to a point at which it either dissolves into widespread chaos or the military expands its presence and control of the streets.
A broader and tougher military role could be welcomed by increasingly fearful Egyptians but would run a risk of appearing to place the army on the side of the regime and antagonizing protesters.
The demonstrators from all segments of Egyptian society have taken to the streets for nearly a week calling for President Hosni Mubarak, 82, to step down. Mubarak named his intelligence chief, former army general Omar Suleiman, to the new role of vice president on Saturday, a move that perpetuated the overriding role of military men in Egyptian politics.
Ahmed Shafiq, the outgoing civil aviation minister and Mubarak fellow former air force officer, was named prime minister.
Many protesters said Sunday that they wanted the complete removal of an administration they blame for poverty, unemployment, widespread corruption and police brutality.
"If the president leaves today, chaos will be over," said schoolteacher Hussein Riyad. "People have been suffering for 30 years, a few days of horror don't matter."
The army appeared to be taking tougher action on the streets by early Sunday afternoon - and were coordinating with protesters.
At Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo, where Riyad and tens of thousands of other protesters were marching, two military armored vehicles blocked the entrance, and soldiers working with civilian protester volunteers were checking IDs and bags of people arriving to join the marches. The soldiers and volunteers said they were searching for weapons but also looking to make sure plainclothes police did not enter the square.
"The army is protecting us, they won't let police infiltrators sneak in!" one volunteer shouted to the crowds lining up to get in. Inside the square, protesters chanted, "The army and the people are one joined hand!"
The soldiers also found a kitchen knife hidden in a plastic bag carried by a man in his 20s as he attempted to enter the square. The soldiers wrestled the man to the ground, beat him and put him inside their tank.
Egyptian security officials told The Associated Press that army troops were hunting for the escaped prisoners, in some cases with the help of the police. State television also showed footage of what it said was dozens of prisoners recaptured by the army troops, squatting on dirt while soldiers kept watch over them.
State Egyptian TV showed footage of Mubarak during what it said was a visit to the country's military command center. Mubarak looked somber and fatigued in his first public appearance since he addressed the nation late Friday to promise reform and annouce the dismissal of his Cabinet.
The brief footage appeared designed to project an image of normalcy.
Some 4,000 protesters chanted slogans against Mubarak in the square, the main gathering point for protesters since anti-government demonstrations began Tuesday, emboldened by Tunisians' success in driving out their president earlier in the month.
An unprecedented Internet cutoff remained in place after the country's four primary Internet providers stopped moving data in and out of the country early Friday in an apparent move by authorities to disrupt the organization of demonstrations.
Egyptian mobile networks were back up but with text-messaging widely disrupted. Blackberry Messenger and Internet services were operating sporadically.
The American University of Cairo has delayed the Sunday start of the semester a week because of the ongoing unrest, spokeswoman Rehab Saad. The Iraqi government offered to evacuate citizens for free.
"We will send whatever planes are needed to those who want to leave Egypt," Transportation Ministry spokesman Aqeel Hadi Kawthar told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It will be free of charge."
Army helicopters were flying low over Cairo and entire neighborhoods remained without any troops two days after Mubarak called the army out on the streets. But many Cairo neighborhoods and other parts of the country remain untouched by looting or street crime.
President Barack Obama met with security aides Saturday afternoon and issued a plea for government restraint in Egypt, where Washington has long feared increasing influence by Muslim militants.
Egyptian security officials said that overnight armed men fired at guards in gun battles that lasted hours at the four prisons including one northwest of Cairo that held hundreds of militants. The prisoners escaped after starting fires and clashing with guards.
Those who fled included 34 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized opposition group. The Muslim Brotherhood's lawyer, Abdel-Monaem Abdel-Maqsoud, told The Associated Press the 34 were among scores rounded up by authorities ahead of the large anti-government demonstrations on Friday. The escapees included at least seven senior members of the group.
The Egyptian security officials said several inmates were killed and wounded, but gave no specific figures. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media.
Looting and arson continued until dawn as the police totally disappeared from the streets of the capital and several major Egyptian cities. There was no explanation for why the police vanished.
The vacuum left by their melting away has prompted residents to form neighborhood protection groups, armed with firearms, sticks and clubs. The citizens set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades and used bricks and metal traffic barriers to block off side streets.
Groups of youths also directed traffic in parts of Cairo, chasing away the gangs of criminals smashing passing cars. Residents said gangs were also stopping people on the streets and robbing them.
In the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek, long lines formed at shops and grocery stores as Egyptians tried to stock up on food, water and other supplies. Stores appeared to be running short of most items, especially bottled water. At one store, water was selling for three times the normal rate.
State Egyptian television, meanwhile, said authorities have decided to close down the Cairo offices of the Qatar-based Al-Jazzera television and suspend the accreditation of its reporters.
The Egyptian TV did not give a reason for the move, but Egyptian authorities have often in the past charged that the station's coverage of events in Egypt was sensational or biased against Mubarak's regime.
© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo told its citizens in Egypt to consider leaving the country as soon as possible, and said it had authorized the voluntary departure of dependents and non-emergency employees, a display of Washington's escalating concern about the stability of its closest Arab ally.
The army sent hundreds more troops and armored vehicles onto the streets of Cairo and other cities but appeared to be taking little action against gangs of young men with guns and large sticks who were smashing cars and robbing people.
At least one Nile-side shopping mall in Cairo was on fire after being looted the previous day.
Live Blogging of Egypt Unrest: Day Six
Special Report: Anger in the Arab World
The Arab world's most populous nation appeared to be swiftly moving closer to a point at which it either dissolves into widespread chaos or the military expands its presence and control of the streets.
A broader and tougher military role could be welcomed by increasingly fearful Egyptians but would run a risk of appearing to place the army on the side of the regime and antagonizing protesters.
The demonstrators from all segments of Egyptian society have taken to the streets for nearly a week calling for President Hosni Mubarak, 82, to step down. Mubarak named his intelligence chief, former army general Omar Suleiman, to the new role of vice president on Saturday, a move that perpetuated the overriding role of military men in Egyptian politics.
Ahmed Shafiq, the outgoing civil aviation minister and Mubarak fellow former air force officer, was named prime minister.
Many protesters said Sunday that they wanted the complete removal of an administration they blame for poverty, unemployment, widespread corruption and police brutality.
"If the president leaves today, chaos will be over," said schoolteacher Hussein Riyad. "People have been suffering for 30 years, a few days of horror don't matter."
The army appeared to be taking tougher action on the streets by early Sunday afternoon - and were coordinating with protesters.
At Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo, where Riyad and tens of thousands of other protesters were marching, two military armored vehicles blocked the entrance, and soldiers working with civilian protester volunteers were checking IDs and bags of people arriving to join the marches. The soldiers and volunteers said they were searching for weapons but also looking to make sure plainclothes police did not enter the square.
"The army is protecting us, they won't let police infiltrators sneak in!" one volunteer shouted to the crowds lining up to get in. Inside the square, protesters chanted, "The army and the people are one joined hand!"
The soldiers also found a kitchen knife hidden in a plastic bag carried by a man in his 20s as he attempted to enter the square. The soldiers wrestled the man to the ground, beat him and put him inside their tank.
Egyptian security officials told The Associated Press that army troops were hunting for the escaped prisoners, in some cases with the help of the police. State television also showed footage of what it said was dozens of prisoners recaptured by the army troops, squatting on dirt while soldiers kept watch over them.
State Egyptian TV showed footage of Mubarak during what it said was a visit to the country's military command center. Mubarak looked somber and fatigued in his first public appearance since he addressed the nation late Friday to promise reform and annouce the dismissal of his Cabinet.
The brief footage appeared designed to project an image of normalcy.
Some 4,000 protesters chanted slogans against Mubarak in the square, the main gathering point for protesters since anti-government demonstrations began Tuesday, emboldened by Tunisians' success in driving out their president earlier in the month.
An unprecedented Internet cutoff remained in place after the country's four primary Internet providers stopped moving data in and out of the country early Friday in an apparent move by authorities to disrupt the organization of demonstrations.
Egyptian mobile networks were back up but with text-messaging widely disrupted. Blackberry Messenger and Internet services were operating sporadically.
The American University of Cairo has delayed the Sunday start of the semester a week because of the ongoing unrest, spokeswoman Rehab Saad. The Iraqi government offered to evacuate citizens for free.
"We will send whatever planes are needed to those who want to leave Egypt," Transportation Ministry spokesman Aqeel Hadi Kawthar told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "It will be free of charge."
Army helicopters were flying low over Cairo and entire neighborhoods remained without any troops two days after Mubarak called the army out on the streets. But many Cairo neighborhoods and other parts of the country remain untouched by looting or street crime.
President Barack Obama met with security aides Saturday afternoon and issued a plea for government restraint in Egypt, where Washington has long feared increasing influence by Muslim militants.
Egyptian security officials said that overnight armed men fired at guards in gun battles that lasted hours at the four prisons including one northwest of Cairo that held hundreds of militants. The prisoners escaped after starting fires and clashing with guards.
Those who fled included 34 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest and best organized opposition group. The Muslim Brotherhood's lawyer, Abdel-Monaem Abdel-Maqsoud, told The Associated Press the 34 were among scores rounded up by authorities ahead of the large anti-government demonstrations on Friday. The escapees included at least seven senior members of the group.
The Egyptian security officials said several inmates were killed and wounded, but gave no specific figures. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the information with the media.
Looting and arson continued until dawn as the police totally disappeared from the streets of the capital and several major Egyptian cities. There was no explanation for why the police vanished.
The vacuum left by their melting away has prompted residents to form neighborhood protection groups, armed with firearms, sticks and clubs. The citizens set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades and used bricks and metal traffic barriers to block off side streets.
Groups of youths also directed traffic in parts of Cairo, chasing away the gangs of criminals smashing passing cars. Residents said gangs were also stopping people on the streets and robbing them.
In the upscale neighborhood of Zamalek, long lines formed at shops and grocery stores as Egyptians tried to stock up on food, water and other supplies. Stores appeared to be running short of most items, especially bottled water. At one store, water was selling for three times the normal rate.
State Egyptian television, meanwhile, said authorities have decided to close down the Cairo offices of the Qatar-based Al-Jazzera television and suspend the accreditation of its reporters.
The Egyptian TV did not give a reason for the move, but Egyptian authorities have often in the past charged that the station's coverage of events in Egypt was sensational or biased against Mubarak's regime.
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There is no way this has happened without the involvement of US intelligence. If by the slimmest chance these revolutions are achieved without major bloodshed and financial ruin, it will be one in the eye for the warmongers.
wait for it...
of a comeback? Nope. Doubt it.
More than likely, democracy will be extinct, world wide, when China behaves like 'Pinky and the Brain', and tries "to do the same thing we do every night Pinky..."
When Egypt falls right back into the Islamic radicals hands and becomes another Iran or Pakistan the world will finally know that there is no peace.
Here is a suggestion for the Obama Administration: since other nations have arranged for flights to airlift Saudi Arabians, Israelis, Dubai citizens amongst others out of the country during this period, why is our U.S. government not doing likewise? It is not reasonable to expect U.S. embassy and consular dependents and others to fend for themselves during a period of unrest when other nations are proactively taking measures to protect their citizens!
Also, why doesn't the U.S. reward its "strongest" ally in the Middle East with at least a public offer of temporary political asylum for those Egyptians who deserve and require that assistance?
"...a display of Washington's escalating concern about the stability of IT'S CLOSEST ARAB ALLY."
Really? Scary.
Yep ... this is really freakin' scarey...
As submitted;
Lest We Forget: WastingtonDC: reminds all Americans that millions of humans enslaved by petty dictators, world wide, are left with their hands, knives, lengths of pipe, and now in Cairo, molotov cocktails, to help, when their Army asks them for help in defending their neighborhood, homes and family members, from roving gangs of looters, militants, or just hungry/angry criminals. The abamination is being castigated by it's paid voters and the professional far left, for not demanding that all Americans give up their private arms, and face the same problems, if this old European socialist caused depression becomes as bad, or worse than the last one: 100M deaths, Hitler, Japan, etc. Do you really want to be disarmed, helpless, with a kitchen knife as your only defense, when the food gruel trucks fail to arrive for a week, in WastingtonDC:, NYC after the fall, or Chicago. Egypt's criminals, and militants will be armed by Iran, et al, and will prey on their citizens, openly, when the police have wisely gone home, to stay alive, and protect their own family property. American criminals depend on blue state gun banners, to disarm their victims, since criminals don't like the red state concealed carry folks who terminate criminal attacks in seconds, then call the police to "take out the trash". Consider the facts laid out below, and the constant threat to America's freedom, before you call for disarming your law abiding neighbors. This is a quote by a classmate, but not the one who joined the large number of lefty anti gun voters, who called me, during my college days, wanting to borrow one of my hundred year old antique weapons and ammo, during violent riots that roiled the entire city, and county, still with plenty of food, no depression that time, and police still on duty everywhere. Read below, it could save your life, and the American Republic, if you learn by reading historic lessons, or by watching our enslaved Egyptian, and millions of other humans, forced to repeat it, unarmed.
CP's most telling Historical Quotation:
In WWI Japan 's highest ranking naval officer was Isoruku Yamamoto. Although he was Japanese, and his loyalties were unquestionably with The Empire, he studied for many years in America, graduating from Harvard University.
There is an oft-repeated (and sometimes disputed) quote attributed to him regarding the possibility of any nation taking a war to American soil:
"You cannot invade the mainland United States . There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."
Here is why he was correct:----------------------------------------------------
America's Hunters. The World's Largest Army.
The state of Wisconsin has gone an entire deer hunting season without someone getting killed. That's great, considering
there were over 600,000 hunters that got permits this year.
Allow me to restate that number.
Over the last two months, the eighth largest army in the world - more men under arms than Iran ; more than France and
Germany combined - deployed to the woods of a single American state to keep the deer population under control.
But that pales in comparison to the 750,000 who are in the woods of Pennsylvania this week. Michigan 's 700,000
hunters have now returned home. Toss in a quarter million hunters in West Virginia , and it is literally the case that the
hunters of those four states alone would comprise the largest army in the world.
And that is just FOUR states.
The total population of registered hunters in America today ranges from 23 million to 43.7 million individuals. (Based on
annual data provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.)
As long as the American Hunter retains his right to Bear Arms, America will forever be safe from foreign invasion of troops.
Hunting - it's not just a way to fill the freezer. It's a matter of national security.
By the way, I have a great book for your to read, "The Invisible Gorilla." It talks about the "power of expectations." If one expects a certain situation to be present, such as hunters in the woods during ___hunting season___, they are more likely to react accordingly (not shoot each other). I really do not find your statistic all that impressive, nor surprising.
Historical Quotation:
In WWI Japan 's highest ranking naval officer was Isoruku Yamamoto. Although he was Japanese, and his loyalties were unquestionably with The Empire, he studied for many years in America, graduating from Harvard University.
There is an oft-repeated (and sometimes disputed) quote attributed to him regarding the possibility of any nation taking a war to American soil:
"You cannot invade the mainland United States . There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."
Here is why he was correct:
-------------------------------------------------------
America's Hunters. The World's Largest Army.
The state of Wisconsin has gone an entire deer hunting season without someone getting killed. That's great, considering
there were over 600,000 hunters that got permits this year.
Allow me to restate that number.
Over the last two months, the eighth largest army in the world - more men under arms than Iran ; more than France and
Germany combined - deployed to the woods of a single American state to keep the deer population under control.
But that pales in comparison to the 750,000 who are in the woods of Pennsylvania this week. Michigan 's 700,000
hunters have now returned home. Toss in a quarter million hunters in West Virginia , and it is literally the case that the
hunters of those four states alone would comprise the largest army in the world.
And that is just FOUR states.
The total population of registered hunters in America today ranges from 23 million to 43.7 million individuals. (Based on
annual data provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.)
As long as the American Hunter retains his right to Bear Arms, America will forever be safe from foreign invasion of troops.
Hunting - it's not just a way to fill the freezer. It's a matter of national security.
By the way, I have a great book for your to read, "The Invisible Gorilla." It talks about the "power of expectations." If one expects a certain situation to be present, such as hunters in the woods during ___hunting season___, they are more likely to react accordingly (not shoot each other). I really do not find your statistic all that impressive, nor surprising.
pretty damn simple....oh wait, it's more important to play at a health care repeal...while we provide it for Iraq...