Hundreds march on State Security building in Egypt

By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Mar 4, 2011


CAIRO – Hundreds of Egyptian protesters attempted to storm a building
belonging to the internal security service in Alexandria on Friday in an
outpouring of anger at the agency blamed for some of the worst human
rights violations during ousted President Hosni Mubarak's rule.

Officers inside the building opened fire on the crowd, injuring three
demonstrators, according to a medic and one of the protesters.

Tensions remain high even as Egypt's military, which took control of the
country after Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11, takes steps to meet the
protesters' demands before a promised return to civilian rule. One of the
protesters' key remaining demands is for the dismantling of Egypt's State
Security Agency.

Earlier Friday, crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square celebrated the military's
choice of a new prime minister to replace the one Mubarak had appointed.
The new premier, Essam Sharaf, was carried on the shoulders of
demonstrators to a podium in the square from which he promised the
estimated 10,000 people gathered there that he would do his best to meet
their demands.

In Alexandria, where some of the uprising's worst violence occurred,
around 1,000 protesters encircled the State Security Agency building after
nightfall and demanded that the officers inside come out or they would
storm the building. Several fire bombs were hurled and four police cars
were set ablaze, though one protester insisted they were not to blame and
only threw rocks.

Shots were fired at the crowd and three people were injured, said an
ambulance medic who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not
authorized to release information to journalists.

"It was coming from inside the building," said protester Mahinour
el-Masri. She said a friend was among the wounded and had been hit by
gunfire in the stomach.

Protesters then stormed into the building and scuffled with riot police
inside before military forces intervened and took control of the building.
El-Masri said they found shredded documents and files inside.

The Interior Ministry denied officers fired on protesters and accused the
crowds that entered the building of seizing weapons and holding guards
hostage.

A smaller crowd also marched toward a State Security building in Cairo but
was stopped by soldiers from getting close.

Egypt's internal security services and police forces, which were given a
free hand by emergency laws under Mubarak to suppress dissent, are some of
the most powerful symbols of his regime.

In particular, the case of a 28-year-old Alexandria businessman allegedly
beaten to death by two policemen in June set off months of small-scale
protests and became a rallying point for a campaign against brutality by
the police and security services.

A Facebook page started in memory of the man, Khaled Said, was used to
send out the first call for large-scale anti-government protests on Feb.
25.

Since Mubarak's ouster, Egypt's military rulers have been trying to meet
quell the anger.

It announced Friday that a referendum on constitutional changes to allow
for competitive parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on
March 19.

A day earlier, the army picked Sharaf to become prime minister and form a
new Cabinet. He replaces Ahmed Shafiq, the last premier to be named by
Mubarak. Shafiq's resignation was among the major opposition demands.

A former transport minister, Sharaf endeared himself to the protesters
when he joined the demonstrations that forced Mubarak to resign.

"I draw will and determination from here," Sharaf told the crowd in
Cairo's Tahrir Square Friday. "I will do my utmost to realize your
demands," he said, pledging to step down if he fails.

Sharaf, a U.S.-educated civil engineer, served in the Cabinet for 18
months between 2004 and 2005.

His government will serve in a caretaker capacity until elections are held.

Besides Shafiq's resignation, the revolt's leaders want Mubarak's National
Democratic Party dissolved. Other demands include the prosecution of
security officials behind the deaths of protesters and the release of
political prisoners.

"I am here because I get my legitimacy from you," Sharaf, in a gray
business suit but no tie, told the demonstrators. He called on the
protesters to turn their attention to "rebuilding Egypt."

"I pray to God that I see an Egypt where free opinions are voiced outside
(prison) cells and security agencies are in the service of the nation."

Sharaf is faced with the daunting task of restoring a sense of normalcy in
the country, where police forces have largely disappeared from the streets
and there is a growing sense of insecurity. The stock market has been
closed for over a month, and since Mubarak left there have been countless
labor and other strikes. Eleven universities were set to reopen on
Saturday.

The constitutional changes to be voted on would open presidential
elections to competition and impose a two-term limit on future presidents
— a dramatic shift from a system that allowed Mubarak to rule for three
decades.

The proposals address a number of the demands of the reform movement. But
many say the changes don't go far enough and debate is still under way
over which election should come first.

Since it took charge of managing Egypt's affairs, the military has
promised to hand power to a new government and elected president within
six months. It disbanded both houses of parliament and promised to repeal
the emergency laws, though only when conditions permit.