Two Al Qaeda members have been arrested at the Cairo airport, airport authorities report. The two had arrived from Istanbul with ”4 suitcases containing military uniforms and pistols” and a message from Ayman Al-Zawahiri on their laptop containing ”instructions to carry out attacks in the Sinai”. Meanwhile, the international community has stepped up its attempts to find a political solution to the crisis in Egypt and to prevent fresh bloodshed, while ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s supporters refuse to give in and have called another protest they hope will bring over a million people to the streets Tuesday. International mediators are working to convince the Muslim Brotherhood to agree to initiate a transition and reconciliation phase, but a spokesman rejected the appeal to ”swallow the reality” that Morsi would not be coming back to power. The Army has denied that it has offered posts in the new government as well as the release of all those arrested and the unfreezing of funds in exchange for an end to the sit-ins in the two squares that have become symbols of the protests against the military: Rabaa and Nahda. Observers say that the ultimatum handed down to Morsi’s supporters may end in the next few days when Ramadan does on Wednesday. The military actions ”will undoubtedly cause victims”, and this is why it has not yet been put into practice, to prevent bloodshed during the Muslim holy month. EU special envoy Bernardino Leon has had a front role in trying to bring in talks and is working ”to create a climate of confidence in which the political sides can speak to each other”, Brussels sources said. Western and Arab envoys visited the second-in-command of the Muslim Brotherhood, Khairat El-Shater, Monday evening but details on the talks have not been released. The US is applying pressure and Secretary of Defence Chuck Hagel asked for an inclusive political process during a telephone call two days ago with Egyptian Defence Minister Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi. Hagel said that he was concerned over the level of violence, which has caused 300 deaths since Morsi was ousted and arrested by the military. While international diplomacy seeks a way out, Morsi and Muslim Brotherhood supporters continue to protest in the streets. On Monday thousands marched through the Egyptian capital shouting ”Morsi, Morsi” and ”We are not Terrorists”. In Alexandria, the Brotherhood sent children between the ages of 10 and 18 to yell out anti-military slogans. Another protest has been called for Tuesday entitled ”Study the Koran”, with organizers hoping to bring to Cairo’s streets over a million demonstrators. Tension is extremely high. Against this backdrop, and after the threats launched by Al-Qaeda through the Egyptian-born leader of the terrorist network, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, the terrorist attack on the Suez Canal Bank foiled by police in Port Said (northeastern Egypt) raises concern. Four people were arrested as they were trying to blow up the building. (ANSAmed).
Aug62013