A senior security source has said that the statement issued by the Cabinet on Wednesday regarding the Rabaa al-Adaweya and Nahda sit-ins staged by the supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsy authorizes the ministry to take the necessary lawful measures, it being the only body entrusted with the implementation of the law and the maintenance of peace and security in the Egyptian street.
The source added that the ministry is studying the appropriate manner to deal with the protesters, considering information received regarding firearms and bladed weapons on site, as well as foreign elements.
The source explained that the ministry would take gradient action, starting with a warning, then the use of tear gas, then self-defense.
Information Minister Dorreya Sharaf Eddin had earlier on Wednesday cited a statement by the Cabinet, saying that the serious situation in those squares, and the subsequent acts of terrorism and blocking of roads, represented a threat to Egyptian national security, and an unacceptable intimidation of citizens, which prompted the Cabinet to task the interior ministry with taking all necessary measures to address that risk and put an end to it, in conformity with the Constitution and the law.
She stressed that this decision was based on the “mass” popular mandate given to the state to combat terrorism and violence in order to preserve national security, the interests of the country, and the social peace and safety of citizens.
Edited translation from MENA
