Islamist leader calls on the military not to shed the blood of fellow Egyptians

A senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has called upon the country’s military leadership not to shed the blood of fellow Egyptians. Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a potential presidential candidate, said that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) should end the violence in Tahrir Square. “Mohammed Mahmoud Street,” he stressed, “should not be set as a trap for the youth who are demanding their legitimate rights.”

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Dr Abdoul Fotouh declined SCAF’s invitation for a meeting with other political forces and entities on Tuesday. Instead, he asked what crime is being committed by the youth who are expressing their opinions and putting across their demands: “And why are they being killed with such brutality?”
The Brotherhood leader expressed his hope that the “horrible massacre” comes to an end, and that the tear gas canisters are no longer used. He called on SCAF not to damage further the reputation of the Egyptian military by using such tactics against the demonstrators.