Egypt is currently in deep crisis because militants within the Muslim Brotherhood and various Islamist groups were well prepared to attack police officers, Christians, security forces, and others that they deem to be a threat to their violent tendencies. It is clear that the events of the last 24 hours, just like the increase of terrorist attacks against the Egyptian army since President Morsi was forced from office, was well coordinated. Alongside this, many Western media outlets desire to twist the reality on the ground by not providing the full picture. This in itself highlights that the Obama administration is unhappy about the Muslim Brotherhood being forced out of office. After all, the Obama administration favors the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Syria and Tunisia (Ennahda is an offshoot).
While the obvious attention is on the Egyptian security forces storming two protest camps in Cairo this angle is misleading. After all, images clearly show that pro-Muslim Brotherhood supporters and religious zealots from other militant Islamist groups were preparing for violence. Not only this, many videos show militants attacking the security forces with guns and currently it is known the 43 members were killed by pro-Morsi supporters. Therefore, a much better picture of the crisis is how militants within the Muslim Brotherhood behave towards communities which had nothing to do with the protest camps in Cairo.
Ahram Online provides a snippet of what happened on the ground within the last 24 hours. It is noticeable that within 5 minutes of the police attacking pro-Morsi camps in Greater Cairo, that Christian churches were attacked by zealots which support the Muslim Brotherhood cause. This applies to a Coptic Orthodox Church in Sohag and another Christian church in the governorate of Minya being attacked. Of course, the embattled Christians of Egypt had nothing to do with the sit-ins in Greater Cairo. However, for militants within the Muslim Brotherhood this is immaterial because in their eyes the Coptics are deemed inferior for being Christian.
In other words, if pro-Muslim Brotherhood militants and other Islamist groups can use violence so openly against a minority group not involved in the pro-Morsi camp issue; then clearly the same supporters are bound to use violence against the state apparatus. It is known that a Franciscan school was attacked; the Al-Raey Al-Saleh Church had Molotov cocktails thrown at it; a Christian youth center was set ablaze in Fayoum in Upper Egypt; in Luxor shops owned by Christians were attacked; the Mar Girgis Christian church was suffered damage in Al-Arish; in Minya several Christian churches were damaged; and many other reports stress that churches, monasteries and Christian owned shops were set ablaze. This reality highlights the violent nature of militants within the Muslim Brotherhood and various Islamist militant groups in Egypt.
The Investigative Project on Terrorism reports that “No sooner did security forces, backed by armored cars and bulldozers, clear encampments in the city’s Nadha and Raba’a al Adiwiya squares did the Islamists turn to targeting Christian churches. Approximately 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood supporters set fire to the Churches of Abraham and the Virgin Mary in Menya.”
According to the Interior Ministry the Muslim Brotherhood issued “orders to their members in the governorates to attack police stations.” Apparently this plan is now being implemented in “….Cairo, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut and Sohag.” The gruesome images of police officers being murdered on one video highlights that this isn’t an empty threat. Currently it is known the violent attacks have taken place against the police in Assiut, Fayoum, Helwan, Minya, Sharqiya and in other parts of Egypt. Once more, this highlights the violent nature of pro-Morsi militants because many police stations have been attacked.
MENA news agency reports that at least six security officers were killed after entering the Rabaa Al-Adawiya camp area. Again, this further confirms that pro-Morsi militants were preparing for violence therefore the response by security forces was based on coming under fire and fearing for their lives. Ministry sources specify that currently 43 security officers have been killed. This reality means that Islamist militants think nothing about killing Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai region – while also supporting attacks against police officers throughout Egypt. Obviously, non-violent demonstrations can’t lead to so many security officers being killed.
Mohamed ElBaradei, the Vice President of Egypt, handed in his resignation and ominously he stated that“Violence begets violence, and mark my words, the only beneficiaries from what happened today are extremist groups.”
Egypt is now at a crossroads because militant Islamists in Egypt desire to turn the clock back. Similarly, international jihadists are involving themselves in the Sinai region based on providing military arms and espousing militant ideology. At the same time outside nations which supported the destabilization of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria can’t be trusted. Therefore, it is essential that “dark forces” don’t build a wedge between the masses and the Egyptian armed forces because just like Islamists are using the sectarian angle; it is clear that sinister forces welcome bloodshed, chaos and sowing the seeds of division. If any Egyptians are wavering based on media propaganda and Muslim Brotherhood misinformation; then they should take a good look at the chaos which followed outside meddling in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentP/1/79000/Egypt/Live-updates-Egyptian-president-declares-state-of-.aspx
http://www.investigativeproject.org/4124/muslim-brotherhood-burns-churches-scapegoats
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