Egypt's army chief has warned that the current political crisis "could lead to a collapse of the state". General Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, in comments posted on his Facebook page, said such a collapse could "threaten future generations".He made his statement following a large military deployment in three cities along the Suez Canal where a state of emergency has been declared. More than 50 people have died in days of protests and violence. Overnight, thousands of people in Port Said, Ismailia and Suez - where some of the worst violence has been - ignored the curfew and temporary state of emergency to take to the streets.Gen Sissi's lengthy statement appears to be a veiled threat to protesters and opposition forces as well as an appeal for calm and an attempt to reassure Egyptians about the role of the military, the BBC's Yolande Knell in Cairo says.
