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Egypt army warns of crackdown on 'black violence' Egypt army warns of crackdown on 'black violence'
(about 4 hours later)
The Egyptian army has warned it will use force to combat "violence and terrorism", as the country braces for rival rallies planned for Friday. The Egyptian army has warned it will use force against any group resorting to violence during rival rallies planned for Friday.
Egypt's army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had earlier called for protests on Friday to give the military a mandate to confront "potential terrorism". Army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called on people to take to the streets to give the military a mandate to confront "terrorism".
Supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi are also expected to demonstrate to demand his reinstatement.Supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi are also expected to demonstrate to demand his reinstatement.
The UN has called for his release; he was detained on 3 July. Mr Morsi was detained on 3 July. The UN chief has called for his release.
Mr Morsi was ousted by the army after mass protests against him on the anniversary of his win in Egypt's first democratic presidential elections. In a statement on Thursday, Ban Ki-moon called on the Egyptian military to free Mr Morsi and other members of the Muslim Brotherhood "or have their cases reviewed transparently without delay".
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the Egyptian military to free Mr Morsi and other members of the Muslim Brotherhood "or have their cases reviewed transparently without delay", in a statement on Thursday. Mr Morsi - Egypt's first democratically elected president - was ousted by the army after mass protests against him on the anniversary of his election.
Meanwhile, the US government said on Thursday that it does not intend to declare formally whether a military coup occurred in Egypt or not.
This follows weeks of debate on how the US would describe the recent unrest in Egypt, which could have had repercussions on its supply of aid to the country which - under US law - must stop in the event of a coup.
The Obama administration is not legally bound to draw conclusions over recent events and to make such a declaration would not be in the US interest, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns told members of Congress.
Heightened rhetoricHeightened rhetoric
The UN chief also urged supporters and opponents of Mr Morsi to act with restraint ahead of rival rallies planned for Friday, following the army's warning that it will use force to confront violence that has taken hold in the country. On Thursday, military spokesman Col Ahmed Mohammed Ali said the army was respectful of peaceful protests, but said that violence or terrorism would be "dealt with decisively and with force".
"We reaffirm that the Egyptian armed forces... never uses its weapons against its own people but will do so against violence and black terrorism which has no faith and no nation," read a statement on a Facebook page affiliated to the Egyptian military. A statement on a Facebook page affiliated to the military said: "We reaffirm that the Egyptian armed forces... never uses its weapons against its own people but will do so against violence and black terrorism which has no faith and no nation."
The Tamarod protest movement that organised the protests which preceded Mr Morsi's removal from office has urged its supporters to take part in Friday's rallies in messages on social media. Since Mr Morsi was ousted dozens of people have died in clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader. Militants have also staged deadly attacks in the Sinai peninsula.
"We call on all of the great Egyptian people to gather in the squares on Friday to officially demand that Mohammed Morsi be put on trial and to support the Egyptian armed forces in its coming war on terrorism," one such message read. In his call for demonstrations on Wednesday, Gen Sisi said he was not calling for unrest. Military spokesmen have insisted that the army is not seeking to target any particular group.
In his call for protests on Wednesday, Gen Sisi said he was not calling for public unrest and he urged national reconciliation. Military spokesmen have insisted that the army is not seeking to target any particular group. The Tamarod movement that organised the protests which preceded Mr Morsi's removal has urged its supporters to take part in Friday's rallies.
However, the rhetoric from both camps has become sharper ahead of the expected rallies. The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mr Morsi, said Gen Sisi was "calling for civil war". "We call on all of the great Egyptian people to gather in the squares on Friday to officially demand that Mohammed Morsi be put on trial and to support the Egyptian armed forces in its coming war on terrorism," it said.
The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Mohammed Badie compared the army's removal of Mr Morsi to the destruction of one of Islam's holiest sites, the Kaaba in Mecca. The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mr Morsi, said Gen Sisi was "calling for civil war".
The Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader Mohammed Badie said the army's removal of Mr Morsi was equivalent to destroying one of Islam's holiest sites, the Kaaba in Mecca.
"I swear by God that what Sisi did in Egypt is more criminal than if he had carried an axe and demolished the holy Kaaba stone by stone," Mr Badie said."I swear by God that what Sisi did in Egypt is more criminal than if he had carried an axe and demolished the holy Kaaba stone by stone," Mr Badie said.
Some analysts say the military could be readying to move against sit-ins by Mr Morsi's supporters, including one in front of the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in a Cairo suburb. Some analysts say the military could be preparing to move against sit-ins by Mr Morsi's supporters, including one in front of the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in a Cairo suburb.
Mohammed Morsi narrowly won the presidential election in June 2012 to become Egypt's first democratically elected president, but his opponents accused him of trying to impose an Islamist agenda on the country.Mohammed Morsi narrowly won the presidential election in June 2012 to become Egypt's first democratically elected president, but his opponents accused him of trying to impose an Islamist agenda on the country.
Following weeks of often violent protests, the Egyptian military removed him from office and installed an interim government earlier this month. Interim President Adly Mansour has set out a "roadmap" towards a revision of the constitution introduced by Mr Morsi and for fresh elections in early 2014, but this has has been rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood.
The military-backed interim president, Adly Mansour, has set out a roadmap towards a revision of the constitution introduced by Mr Morsi and for fresh elections in early 2014, but this has has been rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood.
Hisham Qandil, who was prime minister under Mr Morsi proposed his own roadmap on Thursday, involving:Hisham Qandil, who was prime minister under Mr Morsi proposed his own roadmap on Thursday, involving:
There has been no official response to Mr Qandil's suggestions, and military spokesmen have previously given the Muslim Brotherhood a deadline of Saturday to join the official process.There has been no official response to Mr Qandil's suggestions, and military spokesmen have previously given the Muslim Brotherhood a deadline of Saturday to join the official process.
Meanwhile, the US government said on Thursday that it did not intend to declare formally whether a military coup occurred in Egypt or not.
This follows weeks of debate on how the US would describe the recent unrest in Egypt, which could have had repercussions on its supply of aid to the country which - under US law - must stop in the event of a coup.
The Obama administration is not legally bound to draw conclusions over recent events and to make such a declaration would not be in the US interest, Deputy Secretary of State William Burns told members of Congress.