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Egypt President-elect Mohamed Mursi hails Tahrir crowds | Egypt President-elect Mohamed Mursi hails Tahrir crowds |
(40 minutes later) | |
Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Mursi has praised crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the focal point of protests that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. | Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Mursi has praised crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the focal point of protests that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. |
Thousands had gathered to protest against decrees issued by Egypt's military rulers. | Thousands had gathered to protest against decrees issued by Egypt's military rulers. |
Mr Mursi swore a symbolic oath before the crowd, telling them they were "the source of all authority". | Mr Mursi swore a symbolic oath before the crowd, telling them they were "the source of all authority". |
Mr Mursi, Egypt's first freely-elected civilian president, will officially be sworn in on Saturday. | Mr Mursi, Egypt's first freely-elected civilian president, will officially be sworn in on Saturday. |
He promised to be a "president for all Egyptians", adding: "The revolution must continue until all its objectives are met." | He promised to be a "president for all Egyptians", adding: "The revolution must continue until all its objectives are met." |
He added: "I promise you that I will not give up on any of the powers given to the president" - a veiled reference to recent decrees by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf). | He added: "I promise you that I will not give up on any of the powers given to the president" - a veiled reference to recent decrees by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf). |
'Dignity' | |
He also pledged to work for the release of civilians detained by the military, and to seek justice for those killed and injured in last year's uprising. | He also pledged to work for the release of civilians detained by the military, and to seek justice for those killed and injured in last year's uprising. |
He also said he would work to free militant Islamist Omar Abdel-Rahman, imprisoned in the US over the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York in 1993. | He also said he would work to free militant Islamist Omar Abdel-Rahman, imprisoned in the US over the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York in 1993. |
At one point Mr Mursi opened his jacket to show the crowd he was not wearing a bulletproof vest, saying: "I am reassured, thanks be to God and to you. I fear nobody but God." | At one point Mr Mursi opened his jacket to show the crowd he was not wearing a bulletproof vest, saying: "I am reassured, thanks be to God and to you. I fear nobody but God." |
Mr Mursi also promised to take steps to develop Egypt's struggling economy and to conduct foreign affairs with "dignity". | |
Mr Mursi is due to be sworn in on Saturday at 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT) before the country's Supreme Constitutional Court. | Mr Mursi is due to be sworn in on Saturday at 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT) before the country's Supreme Constitutional Court. |
Spokesmen for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, to which Mr Mursi belongs, had previously said he would take his oath before parliament, which was dissolved by the Scaf last week. | Spokesmen for the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, to which Mr Mursi belongs, had previously said he would take his oath before parliament, which was dissolved by the Scaf last week. |
The assembly, elected last November, was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and other Islamists. | The assembly, elected last November, was dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) and other Islamists. |
The Scaf also issued a declaration giving itself sweeping legislative powers and control over defence policy, and announcing the appointment of a panel to write a new constitution. | The Scaf also issued a declaration giving itself sweeping legislative powers and control over defence policy, and announcing the appointment of a panel to write a new constitution. |
Another controversial decision by the Scaf to give military police powers of arrest was suspended by a court earlier this week. | Another controversial decision by the Scaf to give military police powers of arrest was suspended by a court earlier this week. |
Strained relations | Strained relations |
Handling relations with the Scaf is likely to be a key test for Mr Mursi as he begins his term of office. | Handling relations with the Scaf is likely to be a key test for Mr Mursi as he begins his term of office. |
Protesters gathered in Tahrir Square on Thursday chanted slogans against the military and in support of Mr Mursi. | Protesters gathered in Tahrir Square on Thursday chanted slogans against the military and in support of Mr Mursi. |
"I'm here to tell the military council that we, the people, elected parliament so it is only us, the people, who can dissolve it," Intissar al-Sakka, a protestor from the FJP, told the Reuters news agency. | "I'm here to tell the military council that we, the people, elected parliament so it is only us, the people, who can dissolve it," Intissar al-Sakka, a protestor from the FJP, told the Reuters news agency. |
The Scaf had previously said it would hand over power to Mr Mursi by the end of the month. | The Scaf had previously said it would hand over power to Mr Mursi by the end of the month. |
However, Scaf member Major-General Mohamed al-Assar told Egyptian media earlier this week that the head of Scaf, Field-Marshal Hussein Tantawi, would remain as defence minister under Mr Mursi. | However, Scaf member Major-General Mohamed al-Assar told Egyptian media earlier this week that the head of Scaf, Field-Marshal Hussein Tantawi, would remain as defence minister under Mr Mursi. |
Earlier, Mr Mursi performed Friday prayers at Cairo's al-Azhar mosque, one of the most prominent seats of learning in Sunni Islam. | Earlier, Mr Mursi performed Friday prayers at Cairo's al-Azhar mosque, one of the most prominent seats of learning in Sunni Islam. |
He has sought to allay fears among some secular and Coptic Christian Egyptians that he will use his presidency to impose Islamic law. | He has sought to allay fears among some secular and Coptic Christian Egyptians that he will use his presidency to impose Islamic law. |
Mr Mursi's campaign has said he plans to appoint a woman and a Coptic Christian as his vice-presidents. | Mr Mursi's campaign has said he plans to appoint a woman and a Coptic Christian as his vice-presidents. |