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Protests Continue in Egypt; Muslim Brotherhood Joins Crisis Talks

   Jerome Socolovsky | Cairo  February 06, 2011
   Egyptian  anti-Mubarak  protesters are seen behind barbed wire as they
   arrive  at  Tahrir square in downtown Cairo for more protests, Sunday,
   Feb. 6, 2011

Photo: AP

   Egyptian  anti-Mubarak  protesters are seen behind barbed wire as they
   arrive  at  Tahrir square in downtown Cairo for more protests, Sunday,
   Feb. 6, 2011

   Anti-government  protests  in  Egypt continued for a 13th day Sunday.Â
   The  protesters  are  seeking  an  end  to  Egyptian  President  Hosni
   Mubarak's  nearly  30 year rule. The Muslim brotherhood is the largest
   opposition  faction  in  a coalition that is seeking Mubarak's ouster.
   The brotherhood held talks on Sunday with the government.
   Demonstrators have so far resisted the army's efforts to clear part of
   Tahrir  square.  But  the  army  is  not  using  force.  In fact, its
   blockades are helping to protect the protesters from outside threats.
   Representatives  of  the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned in Egypt,
   met with the newly appointed Egyptian vice president, Omar Suleiman. A
   spokesman  said  the  group will hold a news conference later today to
   announce the meeting's results.

   The  Brotherhood  is  the largest faction in the opposition coalition.
   But this protester on Tahrir Square says he is worried the Brotherhood
   wants to turn Egypt into an Islamic state.
   "I'm  Muslim, but I do not like Iran, like Hezbollah or something like
   that."
   The  Muslim  Brotherhood  has  said  it  will not field a candidate in
   Egypt's next presidential election.

   Brotherhood  members  previously  held  20  percent  of  the  seats in
   parliament,  but lost them after a disputed election in late 2010. The
   group  leads a peaceful political and social movement aimed at forming
   an Islamic state.

   The  United  States has urged an orderly transition of power in Egypt,
   but has not said whether Mubarak should leave immediately.

   Meanwhile, banks and businesses are reopening as life begins returning
   to  normal in Egypt. But one of the opposition leaders, Nobel laureate
   Mohamed  ElBaradei,  is  warning  that  the protests could get what he
   called  "more vicious" if the United States favors allowing Mubarak to
   stay in power during a transition to democracy.
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References

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