Army may have taken over power in Egypt

Ahmed Eleiba , Thursday 10 Feb 2011

A field army commander tells Ahram Online the just released communique of the Supreme Armed Forces Council means the army has seized power, for an interim period

The just released Communique #1 of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, announcing that the Council will remain in an open-ended session, in order to safeguard "the people's achievements and demands", is being interpreted widely as indicating that the Egyptian army has effectively seized political power in the country. A senior field commander gave Ahram Online's correspondent in Tahrir sq his own interpretation of the statement. According to the senior army officer who preferred anonimity, the Supreme Council is about to announce, in statement #2, that it has taken over authority in the country, for an interim period, the duration of which is to be determined later.

Asked about what such a step might mean for the president, the vice-president and the prime minister, the armed forces commander said "these are people who have no power over the of the armed forces."

 

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