Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Monday warned Egyptians of a “despicable conspiracy against Egypt,” describing violent clashes that took place outside the state TV building Sunday night as “critical times."
In a speech delivered at 2 am on Monday from the state TV building, Sharaf said the incidents take Egypt backward, as discussion has returned from being about how to build a democratic country to the subjects of security, stability and foreign powers.
“What endangers security the most is the national unity issue, igniting strife among Muslims and Copts, the people and the armed forces,” he said, adding that this is a suitable atmosphere for the country’s enemies to achieve their goals.
Sharaf said he met with the ministerial group in charge with investigating crises.
“We came here, to the location of the incidents. We saw painful scenes,” he said. “We will not surrender to these evil conspiracies. We will not step backward. It’s hard to believe that what happened was sectarian strife, but it’s absolutely a scene of conspiracy against Egypt.”
Sharaf called on the whole of Egyptian society to unite in face of the conspiracy. He called on Coptic and Muslim religious figures, media players, intellectuals and artists to perform their national duties.
He warned Egyptians against “listening to rumors circulated here and there.”
“Beware of strife among yourselves,” he concluded.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
