Al-Shater accused activists of seeking to prolong the transitional period, leading to instability and aggravating economic problems. (Photo via Facebook) A coalition of Islamist groups held a press conference on Saturday in Nasr City to comment on the clashes at the presidential palace. The conference was hosted by the Legitimate Authority for Rights and Reform, a body that consists of Islamist thinkers and scientists. First Deputy of the supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Khairat Al-Shater spoke at the conference. He said he had information about meetings between politicians and activists on one side and representatives of international and regional powers on the other. “They assessed the situation after [former President Hosni] Mubarak, and decided to try to stop the Islamists, or true revolutionary groups from assuming power. They wanted the country under foreign control," Al-Shater said. When President Mohamed Morsy was elected “they resorted to their back-up plan. Obstruction, chaos and confusion," he added. Al-Shater accused the activists of aiming to prolong the transitional period, leading to instability and aggravating economic problems. “People would then hate the revolution and accept anything for the sake of security and stability," he said. “An Israeli intelligence official talked to a newspaper saying that he wasn't worried about the situation in Egypt because they took everything into consideration," he added. Al-Shater also accused the media of hypocrisy and working for foreign interests, “we hear the media professionals saying behind the scenes that Morsy will be ousted in two or three months." The other speakers also attacked the media, accusing it of neglecting the Islamist perspective and bias to the former regime. Al-Shater said the aim of the “conspiracy against the regime" was to cause a constitutional vacuum. “They dissolved the parliament to leave the president alone with no legitimate institutions. This will stall his plans of development and renaissance," Al-Shater said. Commenting on the attacks against Brotherhood headquarters throughout the country, he said “people are trying to drag us to side battles, but our main battle is defending legitimacy and the president." “We are the people, we are the majority" said Al-Shater, adding that opposition protesters never exceeded 40,000 during street protests, while CNN reported the number of Islamists at Cairo University demonstrations exceeded two million. Sheikh Nashaat Ahmed, an Islamist thinker, also spoke at the conference, and said that Islamists are ready to rally more and more supporters and “offer a million martyrs." He added that when Morsy supporters searched the tents of the protesters at the presidential palace they found “drugs, liquor and weapons." Ahmed also said that Egypt was a Muslim nation and thus it should be represented by an Islamic constitution. “Now we have two camps, one with Shari'a and legitimacy and the other against it," he said. The coalition had released a statement on Friday warning those who “manipulate the public" against staging a coup. It described media as “corrupt," supporting figures of the former regime for money. “The coalition supports any event that aims to preserve legitimacy… and stresses the importance of holding the referendum on time" the statement read. Parties who signed the statement included the Salafi Da'wah, the Muslim Brotherhood, Gama'a Islamiyaa, Al-Nour, Freedom and Justice Party, and the Building and Development and Reform Party.
