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| Egypt's Sisi says he will step down as president if people rise against him | Egypt's Sisi says he will step down as president if people rise against him |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, Egypt's former military chief who is poised to win the presidency in elections later this month, said he would improve people's living conditions within two years but will step down if they rise up against him, without waiting for the army to remove him. | |
| Sisi was speaking to foreign media in his first TV interview as a presidential candidate on Sunday with the Emirates-based Sky News Arabia. | Sisi was speaking to foreign media in his first TV interview as a presidential candidate on Sunday with the Emirates-based Sky News Arabia. |
| Riding on a wave of nationalist fervour, the 59-year old faces a single rival in the vote on 26-27 May. | Riding on a wave of nationalist fervour, the 59-year old faces a single rival in the vote on 26-27 May. |
| "Do you think I will wait for a third time? If people go down to protest, I will say, I am at your service," he said. "I can't wait until the army asks me to (step down), I can't be like this. I fear for my country. I fear for the people." | "Do you think I will wait for a third time? If people go down to protest, I will say, I am at your service," he said. "I can't wait until the army asks me to (step down), I can't be like this. I fear for my country. I fear for the people." |
| Sisi retired in March to run for office, but he was a career military officer and is unlikely to be at odds with the armed forces, which have provided all of Egypt's presidents since 1952 with the exception of ousted Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi. He was head of military intelligence when the uprising against Hosni Mubarak erupted in 2011 and was promoted to defence minister by Morsi. | Sisi retired in March to run for office, but he was a career military officer and is unlikely to be at odds with the armed forces, which have provided all of Egypt's presidents since 1952 with the exception of ousted Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi. He was head of military intelligence when the uprising against Hosni Mubarak erupted in 2011 and was promoted to defence minister by Morsi. |
| In Sunday's interview, Sisi repeated his criticism of Morsi's term in office and the Brotherhood's rise to power, saying the group maintained a parallel leadership and was concerned about amassing power and not solving the country's problems. He said it must reassess its ideology having lost the trust of Egyptians. "It is their problem, not mine. They need to reevaluate themselves," he said, accusing the Brotherhood of turning a political problem into a religious war. | In Sunday's interview, Sisi repeated his criticism of Morsi's term in office and the Brotherhood's rise to power, saying the group maintained a parallel leadership and was concerned about amassing power and not solving the country's problems. He said it must reassess its ideology having lost the trust of Egyptians. "It is their problem, not mine. They need to reevaluate themselves," he said, accusing the Brotherhood of turning a political problem into a religious war. |
| He said he would not allow a religious leadership, as he said the Brotherhood tried to present itself, to exist in parallel to the state and its religious institutions. | He said he would not allow a religious leadership, as he said the Brotherhood tried to present itself, to exist in parallel to the state and its religious institutions. |
| "It is not an animosity, it is not revenge between me and them," he said. | "It is not an animosity, it is not revenge between me and them," he said. |
| The Egyptioan government has branded the Brotherhood a terrorist group, accusing it of orchestrating a violent campaign to destabilise the country. The group denies it adopts violent means and accuses the government of seeking to smear its name. | The Egyptioan government has branded the Brotherhood a terrorist group, accusing it of orchestrating a violent campaign to destabilise the country. The group denies it adopts violent means and accuses the government of seeking to smear its name. |
| Thousands of Morsi supporters and leading figures in his Brotherhood are behind bars on charges varying from holding illegal protests to inciting and carrying out violent attacks and cooperating with foreign militant groups. More than 1,300 of its supporters were killed in a security crackdown on protests. | Thousands of Morsi supporters and leading figures in his Brotherhood are behind bars on charges varying from holding illegal protests to inciting and carrying out violent attacks and cooperating with foreign militant groups. More than 1,300 of its supporters were killed in a security crackdown on protests. |
| Sisi refused to comment on mass trials and sentences against Brotherhood members, including a death sentence already issued against the group's leader, Muhammad Badi, on charges he instigated violence. He said the courts were independent and the law must be respected. | Sisi refused to comment on mass trials and sentences against Brotherhood members, including a death sentence already issued against the group's leader, Muhammad Badi, on charges he instigated violence. He said the courts were independent and the law must be respected. |
| Prosecutors on Sunday said seven alleged Muslim Brotherhood members were sentenced to life in prison for blocking a highway and damaging a security post outside Cairo last summer after security forces violently broke up sit-ins supporting Morsi. | Prosecutors on Sunday said seven alleged Muslim Brotherhood members were sentenced to life in prison for blocking a highway and damaging a security post outside Cairo last summer after security forces violently broke up sit-ins supporting Morsi. |
| Another court on Sunday sentenced 36 students from an Islamic university in Cairo to four years' imprisonment for taking part in a December protest against Morsi's overthrow. | Another court on Sunday sentenced 36 students from an Islamic university in Cairo to four years' imprisonment for taking part in a December protest against Morsi's overthrow. |
| The crackdown has widened to include secular and non-Islamist critics of the current interim government's campaign to quell dissent, including issuing a draconian protest law that bans all political gatherings and protests without prior permission and imposes heavy fines and jail times for violators. | The crackdown has widened to include secular and non-Islamist critics of the current interim government's campaign to quell dissent, including issuing a draconian protest law that bans all political gatherings and protests without prior permission and imposes heavy fines and jail times for violators. |
| Sisi defended the law and repeated his concern for improving security and fighting terrorism, saying police must be given the chance to combat militants and not be distracted with protests. "We want to give the police the chance to work with its current capabilities in better circumstances," he said. | Sisi defended the law and repeated his concern for improving security and fighting terrorism, saying police must be given the chance to combat militants and not be distracted with protests. "We want to give the police the chance to work with its current capabilities in better circumstances," he said. |
| The turmoil in Egypt has also included violent attacks against security forces and the military, most claimed by militant groups who say they are avenging the authorities' crackdown on Islamists and protesters. The government says more than 400 policeman and military troops have been killed during the violence. | The turmoil in Egypt has also included violent attacks against security forces and the military, most claimed by militant groups who say they are avenging the authorities' crackdown on Islamists and protesters. The government says more than 400 policeman and military troops have been killed during the violence. |
| On Sunday, security officials said suspected militants attacked an army convoy in the Sinai peninsula, killing one soldier and wounding another. | On Sunday, security officials said suspected militants attacked an army convoy in the Sinai peninsula, killing one soldier and wounding another. |
| Sissi said he planned to be frank with Egyptians about the extent of their problems, hoping they would lower their expectations and line up behind him to solve the country's challenging economic and security problems. | Sissi said he planned to be frank with Egyptians about the extent of their problems, hoping they would lower their expectations and line up behind him to solve the country's challenging economic and security problems. |
| "We say if things go according to our planning, they will see improvements within two years." Sis said increasing poverty, rising internal and external debts and an energy crunch were the country's most pressing economic problems. | "We say if things go according to our planning, they will see improvements within two years." Sis said increasing poverty, rising internal and external debts and an energy crunch were the country's most pressing economic problems. |
| "On my own, I can't" solve the problem, he stressed. | "On my own, I can't" solve the problem, he stressed. |