CAIRO: Muslim Brotherhood and religious leaders say they don't see the army's latest statement that ruled out an Islamist government as a threat to their political aspirations, but analysts said the military was clear about its plans for a civil state. During a meeting held Monday by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) with chief editors of state-owned newspapers and the official Middle East News Agency, the army said it will hand over the country to a “civil authority,” adding that Egypt will not be Iran or Gaza. Neither will it be ruled by “another Khomeini.” Late Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Mostafavi Moosavi Khomeini was a leader and politician who took over after the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. The country has been ruled by theocratic constitution since. The Gaza Strip, on the other hand, has been ruled by the Islamist Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). Diaa Rashwan, deputy head of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies who specializes in Islamsits studies, described the army's statement as “positive.” “Such statements eliminate any potential of having a religious authority taking over power in Egypt,” Rashwan told Daily News Egypt. However, MB spokesman Essam El-Erian said the army did not mean Islamists by these statements. “The military council meant [to address] … those who scare people against all Islamic currents … and use the same strategy of former regime in raising concerns over Islamists,” El-Erian said. Another MB leader, Mohamed Habib, said there should be no fears over the dominance of Islamists on the political scene. “If we divide [the authority] over the four political currents in Egypt … including Islamists, plus independent groups, we will find out that each will get a minor part,” he said, adding that Islamists will not probably gain more than 30 percent of votes in the next parliamentary elections. Outspoken, conservative Islamic cleric, Youssif El-Badry, ruled out the possibility that the army meant no Islamists would be allowed to compete over presidency. He predicted that Islamists would join forces in the upcoming phase to sweep the parliamentary elections and in turn nominate one of them to compete over the presidential seat. “It is quite normal that Islamist groups would be cautious about criticizing the army,” Rashwan argued. The SCAF has been ruling the country since former president Hosni Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11 following an 18-day anti-regime uprising. The army previously announced that the presidential polls will be held one or two months after the September parliamentary elections. Political groups and movement had expressed concerns about the possible negative impact of Islamist groups on the Egyptian social and political life. Rights groups accused Islamists, including the MB, of committing violations during the referendum on constitutional amendments held on March 19, mainly using religious argument to sway voters. The MB was considered the biggest and most organized opposition force under the Mubarak regime. New political players have few months to form political parties that can compete in the elections. Media reports accused Salafi groups of attacking Christian citizens and attempting to destroy holy shrines, across Egypt. Salafism is a strict interpretation of Islam, and although many of its leaders denounce violence, some observers have associated it with fundamentalism. Mohamed Mokhtar El-Mulla, council member and assistant to Minister of Defense, said during the meeting with newspaper editors that the interior minister had earlier confirmed that extremists from outside Egypt did not enter the country and that the necessary measures were taken against any possible attempts. El-Mulla stressed the importance of the role of the Azhar Institution in combating any extremist ideologies.
