The Salafi Dawah Organization, which represents the Salafi movement in Egypt, announced support for a controversial statement issued by the SCAF on last week's protests and said it would not participate in this week's demonstrations. The Salafi organization said that the military statement - which warned against attempts to hijack power - aims at preventing nationwide disorder, and stressed that the group will not participate in Friday's protest in Tahrir Square in order to give the ruling military council a chance to fulfill its promises. The organization said in a statement that Salafis reject sit-ins and civil disobedience, emphasizing that Egyptians are capable of protecting their country and preserving stability against attempts of “a few hundreds who seek to turn the country into chaos." It also alleged that these "few hundreds" are trying to cut off the Suez Canal, and added that millions of Egyptians are ready to take to the streets if necessary to defend national security. The statement called on the military to carry out its duty and defend Egypt's interests against those who are not aware of the dangers threatening the country. The statement also heralded Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's statement in response to renewed protests as a positive step toward achieving people's legitimate demands, including prosecuting of former officials and getting rid of Mubarak regime remnants. According to the group, including those who reject Egypt's Islamic identity in an anticipated cabinet reshuffle would not benefit the country. The group said it would create a push for more illegal and unconstitutional demands, and impose minority opinion on the majority. “We completely appreciate what came in the SCAF's statement, and its commitment to the practical steps [that achieve] the stability of Egypt,” the statement read. “The Salafi Dawah stresses that the document governing the rules of selecting the constituent body to write the constitution must be approved by all political forces, and then it must gain the consent of the nation before announcing the constitutional declaration,” the statement added. The organization reaffirmed its stance against calls for drafting an interim constitution before parliamentary elections. The Salafi organization also called on the media to think of God before broadcasting or publishing any news to avoid the circulation of rumors and prevent confusion. Translated from Arabic Edition
