Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie on Tuesday urged Egyptians to back the ruling military council and appreciate its role in protecting the revolution. "In neighboring countries, the armies are killing their own people,” Badie said at a conference in Sharqiya, northeast of Cairo. On Tuesday, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) gave a poorly received televised statement that warned of attempts to "hijack" power. Revolution groups had previously called for the formation of a civilian presidential council to replace the SCAF. Some Egyptians consider the military council part of former President Hosni Mubarak's regime. Badie also said people should not fear the establishment of an Islamic system because Islam advocated the creation of a civil state. He criticized calls for drafting a new constitution before elections, saying this would cause the military to stay in power longer. Islam guarantees freedom for all people and safeguards the rights of humans, regardless of their religion, as well as animals, Badie said. Islam rewards effort and new ideas and calls on people to be positive, therefore it helps achieve progress, he added. Translated from the Arabic Edition
