Protesters In Egypt Say Military Using Force

* Protesters say military fires shots into air

* Thousands in Tahrir Square had called for new cabinet

* Egyptian investigators detain former information minister

(Updates with quotes, details, arrest of official)

By Marwa Awad and Dina Zayed

CAIRO, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Egyptian soldiers fired in the air and used batons in the early hours of Saturday to disperse activists demanding the cabinet appointed by Hosni Mubarak be purged by the country's new military leaders, protesters said.

Thousands had gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to celebrate two weeks since Mubarak's removal and remind the country's new rulers, who have promised to guard against "counter revolution" of the people's power.

In the gathering in the epicentre of the uprising against the president, activists urged the military, who had promised there would be "no return to the past" of the Mubarak era, to overhaul the cabinet and install a team of technocrats.

But after midnight, protesters said the military fired in the air, shut off the light from lampposts, and moved in on protesters to force them to leave the square, in an unusual use of military force against protesters since Mubarak's fall.

"Military police used batons and tasers to hit the protesters," Ahmed Bahgat, one of the protesters, told Reuters by telephone. "The military is once again using force. But the protesters have not responded."

Protesters left the main centre but many had gathered in surrounding streets, another protester, Mohamed Emad, said. Witnesses said they saw several protesters fall to the ground but it was not clear if they were wounded or how seriously.

"I am one of thousands of people who stood their ground after the army started dispersing the protesters, shooting live bullets into the air to scare them," said protester Ashraf Omar.

TASERS AND STICKS

"They were using tasers and sticks to beat us without any control. I thought things would change. I wanted to give the government a chance but there is no hope with this regime," Omar said. "There is no use."

"I am back on the street. I either live with dignity or I die here."

Protesters say they want the resignation of the government of Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, the immediate release of political prisoners and the issuing of a general amnesty.

The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's best organised political group, and others are particularly concerned about the key portfolios of defence, interior, justice and foreign affairs, and want a clean break from Mubarak's old guard.

The military, facing strikes over pay as well as turmoil in Libya, treads a fine line between granting people new freedoms and restoring normal life.

The army officers who moved in on protesters in Tahrir, donned black masks to cover their faces to avoid being identified by protesters, Omar said.

Military busses were parked in the square to take in protesters that were caught, Mohamed Aswany, one protester who had decided to stage a sit-in, told Reuters by telephone.

Protesters were heard yelling and shouting as they were chased down side streets to Tahrir.

"It is a cat and mouse chase between the army and the people," Omar said in dismay. "There is no more unity between the people and the army."

FORMER OFFICIALS DETAINED

In one attempt to appease protesters and show a break with the past, several former ministers and business executives linked to Mubarak's ruling party have come under investigation.

Egypt's public prosecutor referred two former ministers and several prominent businessmen to a criminal court on Thursday on accusations of squandering public funds. [ID:nLDE71N121]

In the latest case, investigators have ordered the detention of former Information Minister Anas el-Fekky for 15 days on charges of profiteering and wasting public funds, the state news agency MENA said on Saturday.

Investigators also ordered the head of the Egyptian Television and Broadcasting Union be detained.

Anti-government protesters had been angered by Fekky because state media, which fell under his charge, had ignored, played down or attacked demonstrations that ousted Mubarak.

Egypt's prosecutor said in its charges against Fekky that he had allocated state television funding to back presidential and parliamentary campaigns for Mubarak and his National Democratic Party, in violation of election laws.

The prosecutor also said Fekky had used excess funding in revamping studios and for channels owned by state television.

The former minister denied the charges, MENA reported, saying that he saw no excess in allocating budgets and that he had made such decisions to maintain competitiveness with other, private channels.

Fekky also denied that state television unfairly helped the campaign for Mubarak or his party:

"Those campaigns spoke of accomplishments in Egypt in general and did not praise one person or one party." (Additional reporting by Mohamed Abdellah; Writing by Dina Zayed; Editing by Alison Williams)

Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[DoesNotComputer]

04:08 PM on 02/26/2011

The military is doing military things.

Why is everyone so surprised?

[the griff]

02:57 PM on 02/26/2011

What did these people expect. Different faces and names but the same regime.

[Cowjam]

02:54 PM on 02/26/2011

Look, there is a serious security problem now in Egypt, and the Army is overwhelmed. There are knife-wielding thugs everywhere, schools are due to reopen next week, but everyone is afraid to send their kids. My point is this: When the Army says "go home at midnight", people-go home! They were allowed to protest all day, and made their point.
So many significant changes have already been made here. Give the Army a chance.

I just came home from the Alexandria train station. Libyans all over the place.

[TStringfellow]

02:49 PM on 02/26/2011

Nice strategy giving masks to the army. No longer do they have to restrain themselves in fear of a public shaming for using force on their own people, they're free to have at it.

[Cabo600]

02:16 PM on 02/26/2011

The fat lady is far from singing on this one yet.

[lunchtimereader]

02:10 PM on 02/26/2011

Did anyone think that the Egyptian military was going to step down that easily?

It's like Lord of the Rings. Once u get that power, it is intoxicating and warps u. U don't want to give it up even though, u know u should.....but u can't let go. It's a drug that traps u.

I don't think the military will be stepping down anytime soon.

[Remle Nemid]

02:01 PM on 02/26/2011

The true colors of the Egyptian military are being unmasked...

For they know it full well that the reforms the Egyptian people are demanding of, that is, all the ministers who served or were connected with the regime of the deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak should be made to resign from office, will eventually lead to their doors as majority of the current military brass were complicit in the running of the previous corrupt regime. Most of them benefitted too.

Besides, a military used to lording it over the people for more than half a century since Egypt's monarchy was dethroned will not readily shed its coat nor give up power it has been inured to wielding all these years.

As a rule, the language that the military understands is a language that packs equal or greater brute force than it normally encounters in real warfare situation.

[censorship sux]

02:00 PM on 02/26/2011

yea but egypts our friend so no problem if they kill civilians

libya's the problem

[leutenizer banned twice]

01:46 PM on 02/26/2011

Obama never intended to engage Iran, he has lied from the very beginning. He instantly launched a sanctions regime while showing his damn face on Nowrooz. People who believed him should have only looked who he had left in charge of his Iran policy: Israel lobbyists.

It is now becoming more clear that the entire movement in ME is in fact an Islamic Awakening as Khamenei has pointed out-for better or for worse. As this drags on, and as Egypt and Tunisia continue to drag their feet on reforms until Washington can find a way to derail the whole thing, we clearly see that the heartbeat of the demonstrations are more and more getting a familiar rhythm of being concentrated on Friday prayers. Clearly and like the Iran revolution of '79, the public will realize that the vested interests of outsiders will not tolerate democracy of any kind in the region, as Obama is working hard behind the scenes to back stab them. Violence will be required just as we are witnessing in Libya, to overturn these regime. In the process, the US will lose even more credibility and these civil uprisings are likely to become more anti-American.

[janiepants]

01:29 PM on 02/26/2011

Soooo. It's a weekly celebration?

[TStringfellow]

02:50 PM on 02/26/2011

No, Mubarak's old guard is still in control of the country. A host of unelected generals being in control of the nation's ministries is no better than an aging dictator, in fact, it may be much worse.

[Mohamed Gomaa]

12:48 PM on 02/26/2011

As an Egyptian & as u have free speech, I'd like to comment. We have doubts about the military being in charge and we believe that the regime didn't fall yet and we believe many in the military are on our side but how much in numbers and effectiveness we are not sure. But for sure, for the sad side, who don't on our side are supported and welcomed by the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia. it seems we have many enemies who accept, welcome, and support an autocrats regime for us and we're looking for freedom, justice and fighting corruption. the us citizens as most of west people are brain washed it will take time that they will be able to judge if they really have justice and free media. they are living illusions of the media and who control the media?

[Libertarian09]

01:10 PM on 02/26/2011

Sadly, I must agree with your outlook. I have watched and hoped for the Egyptian people, I still believe that there is hope but I don't think anything has been won yet. Thank you for sharing your views with us and I wish you the best luck in securing your freedom and independence from the dictators of the West as well as from your own.

[dissanayake]

01:46 PM on 02/26/2011

Well done Mr Gomaa. Of course the status quo was disturbed, But the Egyptians should have known that US policy in the middle east,for decades, was that it was better to 'negotiate' with a Dictator, than the uncertainity of the inevitable changing climate of dealing with Nationalistic political parites.
We live in a Democracy,which is fueled (pun intended) by the relationships we have built with Autocratic Govts in oil producing countries. policies that were ' paved, in the 50's by the CIA's overthrowing of the budding Palrlimentary process that was transiting from British rule.. In short- the process of Democratization was Hijacked by US policy in the 50's.

History repeats itself.

[yippiekiaay]

12:37 PM on 02/26/2011

"...Using force."?
Well, it's a military for chrissake!
What do you expect...baked goods?

[TStringfellow]

02:52 PM on 02/26/2011

Yes, how dare people expect an army to side with democracy and justice, how dare they expect a military to refrain from attacking civilians.

[yippiekiaay]

05:25 PM on 02/26/2011

It's not daring to expect a peaceful reaction from the military.
It's insane.
Why does anyone think they're called a "force"??

[omobob]

12:22 PM on 02/26/2011

This is the number one question in the Middle East. Will the protesters gain their independence and liberty or will the US back militaries in Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia push aside the will of the people and take control through a military junta? We can only hope not and call for the militaries we support to stand down or be cut off. It is in the Administrations purview to do so. It is in the Administrations best interest to back democracy in the ME.

[TStringfellow]

02:58 PM on 02/26/2011

Are you really asking whose side the U.S. is on?

We have never supported Democracy outside of our borders. We support stability and markets, whichever side looks good to the international bourgeoisie will come out on top. Since stability is good for markets, and military rule often creates a kind of repressive stability, it seems obvious that the U.S. would prefer these nations' military classes to be in power.

The U.S. is terrified of Democracy in strategically important countries. When people are allowed to choose whose interests to serve, their own or the West's, they generally choose their own. The sad example of Arbenz's Guatemala and others across the world show how the U.S. responds to Democracy in client states, they bomb it out of existence.

[omobob]

03:18 PM on 02/26/2011

Iran, Chile, Nicaragua and Vietnam. All countries who had fair democratic elections that were subsequently over turned with the help of the CIA. That being said it would be in the best interests of this administration to support democracy in the ME.

[kemcha]

12:18 PM on 02/26/2011

I can assure you that the Egyptian people are so screwed. The minute that government rule shifted to the military, you're going to see a similar style of government, albeit, with different faces.

Welcome to Egypt, Mubarek 2.0.

[wikwox]

12:03 PM on 02/26/2011

Democracy you say? Strong Man General says I.