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| Egyptian General Calls for Mass Demonstrations | Egyptian General Calls for Mass Demonstrations |
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| CAIRO — The commander of the armed forces on Wednesday called on Egyptians to hold mass demonstrations on Friday that he said would give the army a “mandate” to fight violence and terrorism, signaling a possible crackdown against Islamist supporters of Egypt’s deposed president. | |
| The call for popular action by the commander, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, further undermined the military’s repeated assertions that it would not interfere in politics. | |
| “I’ve never asked you for anything,” said General Sisi, who deposed Egypt’s first freely elected president, Mohamed Morsi, three weeks ago. “I’m asking you to show the world. If violence is sought, or terrorism is sought, the military and the police are authorized to confront this.” | |
| General Sisi’s comments, in a speech to military graduates, quickly revived questions about his role in Egypt’s political transition while deepening the sense that he, rather than the interim government the generals installed, is Egypt’s de facto leader. Wearing dark glasses throughout his speech, the general seemed at times to be speaking directly to Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters, who have held marches almost every day to protest the president’s removal. | General Sisi’s comments, in a speech to military graduates, quickly revived questions about his role in Egypt’s political transition while deepening the sense that he, rather than the interim government the generals installed, is Egypt’s de facto leader. Wearing dark glasses throughout his speech, the general seemed at times to be speaking directly to Mr. Morsi’s Islamist supporters, who have held marches almost every day to protest the president’s removal. |
| The speech quickly fueled fears among Islamists of an imminent military crackdown, including the dispersing of sit-ins that have become a nuisance for the military-backed government. Addressing Egyptians during a television interview after General Sisi’s speech, Mohamed el-Beltagy, a senior leader of Mr. Morsi’s movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, said the general “wants an authorization from you to murder.” | The speech quickly fueled fears among Islamists of an imminent military crackdown, including the dispersing of sit-ins that have become a nuisance for the military-backed government. Addressing Egyptians during a television interview after General Sisi’s speech, Mohamed el-Beltagy, a senior leader of Mr. Morsi’s movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, said the general “wants an authorization from you to murder.” |
| No “honorable Egyptian” would respond to such a call, Mr. Beltagy said. | No “honorable Egyptian” would respond to such a call, Mr. Beltagy said. |
| The developments on Wednesday came after a weeklong surge in violence across the country, and left Egypt facing the possibility of another Friday of dueling mass protests and further unrest as the Brotherhood announced plans for its own marches. The speech came just hours after the authorities said unknown attackers had bombed a police station north of the capital, Cairo. A long night of political bloodshed on Tuesday left at least 12 people dead and seemed to dispel any notion that the military’s ouster of Mr. Morsi would quickly provide the security that Egypt’s generals covet. | The developments on Wednesday came after a weeklong surge in violence across the country, and left Egypt facing the possibility of another Friday of dueling mass protests and further unrest as the Brotherhood announced plans for its own marches. The speech came just hours after the authorities said unknown attackers had bombed a police station north of the capital, Cairo. A long night of political bloodshed on Tuesday left at least 12 people dead and seemed to dispel any notion that the military’s ouster of Mr. Morsi would quickly provide the security that Egypt’s generals covet. |
| The death toll was the highest in a single stretch since July 8, when at least 62 people were killed by gunfire from soldiers and police officers who shot at a group of Morsi supporters. | The death toll was the highest in a single stretch since July 8, when at least 62 people were killed by gunfire from soldiers and police officers who shot at a group of Morsi supporters. |
| Images of the latest fighting between Mr. Morsi’s supporters and opponents, which began on Monday, were jarring. Civilians, including a well-known actor, were seen firing weapons during running battles near Cairo landmarks. | Images of the latest fighting between Mr. Morsi’s supporters and opponents, which began on Monday, were jarring. Civilians, including a well-known actor, were seen firing weapons during running battles near Cairo landmarks. |
| “The violence is a reflection of the political deadlock and the inability to find a way out,” said Khalil al-Anani, a leading academic expert on Egyptian politics and political Islam. And on both sides, he said, “the camps that favor confrontation have the upper hand.” | “The violence is a reflection of the political deadlock and the inability to find a way out,” said Khalil al-Anani, a leading academic expert on Egyptian politics and political Islam. And on both sides, he said, “the camps that favor confrontation have the upper hand.” |
| Egypt’s post-Morsi government, its authority in dispute, has given little indication that it has a solution to the bloodshed. On Tuesday, officials gave mixed messages about their approach. | Egypt’s post-Morsi government, its authority in dispute, has given little indication that it has a solution to the bloodshed. On Tuesday, officials gave mixed messages about their approach. |
| A spokesman for the interim president, Adli Mansour, delivered a stern warning to Mr. Morsi’s supporters, saying, “Egypt will not be a second Syria, and those who push in that direction are traitors,” according to the state news media. | A spokesman for the interim president, Adli Mansour, delivered a stern warning to Mr. Morsi’s supporters, saying, “Egypt will not be a second Syria, and those who push in that direction are traitors,” according to the state news media. |
| “Those wheezing as they chase foreign media, and who run after the capitals of the West to falsify the facts of the revolution and the Egyptian state, will only get shame and disgrace,” he said. | “Those wheezing as they chase foreign media, and who run after the capitals of the West to falsify the facts of the revolution and the Egyptian state, will only get shame and disgrace,” he said. |
| Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate who serves as one of Mr. Mansour’s vice presidents, struck a more conciliatory note, urging the newly appointed justice minister to investigate the July 8 killings, as well as the recent killings of three pro-Morsi demonstrators in the city of Mansura. | Mohamed ElBaradei, a Nobel laureate who serves as one of Mr. Mansour’s vice presidents, struck a more conciliatory note, urging the newly appointed justice minister to investigate the July 8 killings, as well as the recent killings of three pro-Morsi demonstrators in the city of Mansura. |
| “Transitional justice and national reconciliation based on accepting the other is our only option,” he said in a Twitter post. “I pray to God that we understand that violence doesn’t dress wounds, it opens new ones.” | “Transitional justice and national reconciliation based on accepting the other is our only option,” he said in a Twitter post. “I pray to God that we understand that violence doesn’t dress wounds, it opens new ones.” |
| The bloodshed has spread beyond the political fights in the capital, intensifying the sense of a vacuum in leadership. Violence has flared in the Sinai Peninsula, where civilians and more than a dozen soldiers have been killed in attacks by unidentified militants since the military takeover that ousted Mr. Morsi on July 3. | The bloodshed has spread beyond the political fights in the capital, intensifying the sense of a vacuum in leadership. Violence has flared in the Sinai Peninsula, where civilians and more than a dozen soldiers have been killed in attacks by unidentified militants since the military takeover that ousted Mr. Morsi on July 3. |
| Two days later, the authorities stood by as an angry crowd set upon Christian families near Luxor, killing four people, after the body of a Muslim man was found near Christian homes. In a report released on Tuesday, Amnesty International said, “Security forces on the scene made only halfhearted attempts to end the violence.” | Two days later, the authorities stood by as an angry crowd set upon Christian families near Luxor, killing four people, after the body of a Muslim man was found near Christian homes. In a report released on Tuesday, Amnesty International said, “Security forces on the scene made only halfhearted attempts to end the violence.” |
| The group said it had documented cases in the past in which Egypt’s security forces used unnecessary force or live fire during demonstrations, “yet in this case, they held back, even though people’s lives were threatened.” | The group said it had documented cases in the past in which Egypt’s security forces used unnecessary force or live fire during demonstrations, “yet in this case, they held back, even though people’s lives were threatened.” |