Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
Buyers and Sellers from all backgrounds in Khan El-Khalili outside Bab El-Ghuri
Real Humans of Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
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Souvenirs and lamps in Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
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Inside Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
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Egyptian X-Files : Who sent that SMS ?
I want to write about that war crime in Syria as well El-Sisi's historical visit to D.C
I also want to finish that report about the new media empires in Egypt and at the same time upload tons and tons of pictures and videos to share with you.
Yet suddenly something happens in Egypt to change all your plans.
On Tuesday evening, many Egyptians got on their mobile phones a strange news SMS that in other countries can turn things upside down.
At 9.41 PM Cairo local time, Subscribers of Al-Watan Daily Newspaper' Breaking News SMS service received a message claiming that Pro-Ahmed Shafik army commanders started a military coup.
Yes, the subscribers of the Pro-regime Daily Newspaper got that SMS puzzling them. The country was quiet and everything was normal on Wednesday. Yes, the President is abroad but things are calm.
Honestly, I was worried that something would happen at night.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is currently visiting Washington and he met with Trump on Monday.
Soon, Al-Watan newspaper said that its Breaking News SMS service was hacked and hacker sent that SMS.
The newspaper's publisher Mohamed Al-Amin is said to be currently in the United States as part of the media delegation covering El-Sisi's visit to D.C. I can imagine him after knowing what happened back in Cairo.
The newspaper's editors appeared on TV channels claiming that that was an attempt by those "evil people" to distract the people from Sisi's successful visit.
On Wednesday, the former Presidential candidate spoke from Dubai on air on Dream TV 2 stating he knew nothing about that "Al-Watan SMS" describing it as a "childish act" that should be investigated.
He also denied rumors that he was suffering from Alzheimer.
Interestingly, Shafik said that he did not "make up" his mind about the upcoming presidential elections in 2018.
Shafik is still considered a rival to Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Already on Thursday, we found Pro-regime Youm 7 newspaper managing editor and conspiracy for hinting that "he may run in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections". El-Hawary said in his interesting Op-ed that Shafik belonged to a corrupted regime aka Mubarak regime that faced a huge revolution !!! Yes, El-Hawary who says 25 January revolution is a conspiracy; describes it as a huge revolution.
theorist Dandrawy El-Hawary slamming the former PM
Interestingly, the infamous managing editor separates between the Egyptian armed forces and that regime and do not even ask.
Anyhow, I wonder who was behind that strange SMS !??? Already that hacker had million other fake news that could turn Egypt upside down and yet he or she chose that coup SMS.
Why did they choose Shafik? Does Shafik still have supporters in the army in the first place?
There are many questions in my mind.
Speaking about Shafik, there is one million dollars question that is needed to be asked
When will Ahmed Shafik return from his self-exile in UAE?
The man has not got any legal problem to stop him from coming to Egypt and yet he is still staying in UAE.
Also, why is the media ignoring that strange SMS?
I also want to finish that report about the new media empires in Egypt and at the same time upload tons and tons of pictures and videos to share with you.
Yet suddenly something happens in Egypt to change all your plans.
 |
| The SMS |
At 9.41 PM Cairo local time, Subscribers of Al-Watan Daily Newspaper' Breaking News SMS service received a message claiming that Pro-Ahmed Shafik army commanders started a military coup.
Yes, the subscribers of the Pro-regime Daily Newspaper got that SMS puzzling them. The country was quiet and everything was normal on Wednesday. Yes, the President is abroad but things are calm.
Honestly, I was worried that something would happen at night.
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is currently visiting Washington and he met with Trump on Monday.
Soon, Al-Watan newspaper said that its Breaking News SMS service was hacked and hacker sent that SMS.
The newspaper's publisher Mohamed Al-Amin is said to be currently in the United States as part of the media delegation covering El-Sisi's visit to D.C. I can imagine him after knowing what happened back in Cairo.
The newspaper's editors appeared on TV channels claiming that that was an attempt by those "evil people" to distract the people from Sisi's successful visit.
On Wednesday, the former Presidential candidate spoke from Dubai on air on Dream TV 2 stating he knew nothing about that "Al-Watan SMS" describing it as a "childish act" that should be investigated.
Ahmed Shafik speaking about the SMS
Interestingly, Shafik said that he did not "make up" his mind about the upcoming presidential elections in 2018.
Shafik is still considered a rival to Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Already on Thursday, we found Pro-regime Youm 7 newspaper managing editor and conspiracy for hinting that "he may run in the upcoming 2018 presidential elections". El-Hawary said in his interesting Op-ed that Shafik belonged to a corrupted regime aka Mubarak regime that faced a huge revolution !!! Yes, El-Hawary who says 25 January revolution is a conspiracy; describes it as a huge revolution.
 |
| Ahmed Shafik in UAE |
Interestingly, the infamous managing editor separates between the Egyptian armed forces and that regime and do not even ask.
Anyhow, I wonder who was behind that strange SMS !??? Already that hacker had million other fake news that could turn Egypt upside down and yet he or she chose that coup SMS.
Why did they choose Shafik? Does Shafik still have supporters in the army in the first place?
There are many questions in my mind.
Speaking about Shafik, there is one million dollars question that is needed to be asked
When will Ahmed Shafik return from his self-exile in UAE?
The man has not got any legal problem to stop him from coming to Egypt and yet he is still staying in UAE.
Also, why is the media ignoring that strange SMS?
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Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri gate [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri when its shops turned the light of the lanterns and lamps on
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Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri gate [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri when its shops turned the light of the lanterns and lamps on
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The lamps of Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri [Flickr]
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Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri gate [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri when its shops turned the light of the lanterns and lamps on
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Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri gate [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
Inside Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri when its shops turned the light of the lanterns and lamps on
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Accessories of Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
A buyer-seller's conversation about the price of necklaces sold in Khan El-Khalili
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Oriental coffee pots in Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
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The ceiling of Khan El-Khalili's Bab El-Ghuri [Flickr]
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Women's fashion in Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
A shop selling women's galabiyas and belly dancing suits in Khan El-Khalili market of Cairo
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A narrow alley in Khan El-Khalili [Flickr]
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The Black Palm Sunday
This Sunday, millions of Christians around the globe celebrated the Palm Sunday and the start of the Holy Week. In Egypt and the Arab world, Arab Christians and Churches call the Holy week in Arabic "The Pains week".
This Sunday was officially the start of "Pains week" in Coptic Orthodox Churches in Egypt in a sad irony.
As you may have known, two Egyptian Churches were attacked earlier in two different cities during the Palm Sunday. At least 40 people killed and over 100 others were injured in both attack.
At 9.05 AM Tanta local time, the first explosion took place at St.George Cathedral in Tanta city.
According to early reports, the explosion took place at the first and front rows full of men during the Palm Sunday service.
Already the Palm Sunday service started at 6 AM and should have ended at 12 PM.
It never ended because of the explosion that killed over 29 people and injured not less 70 others.
The victims include a judge, some members of the Church Choir, grandfathers and fathers.
The photos resurfaced online showed horrifying scenes. Reports also came speaking about a severe head that most probably belongs to the Suicide bomber.
The St. George Cathedral is considered the biggest church in the Nile Delta governorate.
Interestingly , from 12 days ago the Cathedral which hosts the bishopric of Tanta spoke about how security forces dealt with unknown suspicious object found in front of it.
News reports claim that that object was actually a bomb that had been defused.
Tensions erupted later between the families of the victims and the security forces.
The head of Tanta security directorate was beaten badly the angry people inside the Church.
After that, he was sacked from his post.
It only took three or four hours I believe when a second explosion took place and that time it was in Alexandria.
The bombing that time turned to be at St.Marks Cathedral in Alexandria, one of the most important churches for Egyptian Coptic Christians.
Already this church is considered the mother church of the Coptic Church.
Unlike Tanta's Cathedral, the explosion took place outside St. Marks Cathedral as the suicide bomber was stopped at the metal detector. The man blew up himself killing at least 11 people including the police force assigned to protect the Cathedral
Luckily , the man was stopped because Pope Tawadros II was inside the Cathedral leading the Palm Sunday service along a number of prominent Coptic Church men.
The Coptic church says that Pope Tawadros II left moments before the attack but the Egyptian ministry of interior says that he was inside it when the attack happened.
I just can't imagine what happened if that suicide bomber went inside the Cathedral during the service and blew up himself.
Among the victims that have been killed in the attack three Egyptian policewomen. This is the first time Egyptian policewomen are killed on duty and in a terrorist attack.
Those ladies were standing the police force at the cathedral to inspect women church goers.
The strength of the explosion in the streets affected the old buildings in the heart of Alexandria.
First , it issued a very small statement on its news agency Amaq which quoted a "security source " in their so-called Islamic City claiming responsibility for the attacks in Alexandria and Gharbia through their social media channels Cairo afternoon.
Then they released one of their blue-red statements with more details about the attacks.
According to Daesh, two Suicide bombers were behind the attack in Tanta and Alexandria killing and injuring 190 Egyptian Christians.
The terrorist group that "Abu Baraa Al-Masry" was the suicide bomber in Alexandria bombing while "Abu Isahak Al-Masry" was the suicide bomber in Tanta.
The group renewed its bloody vow that it would continue attacking the Egyptian Christians in the country in the end of the statement.
Interestingly the group did not mention that "Abu Baraa Al-Masry" technically failed in his mission thankfully because he blew himself outside the Church itself.
Daesh already claimed its responsibility for El-Botroseya Church's bombing in December.
It also released in February a-20-minutes video statement vowing more attacks against Egyptian Christians as well calling its supporters in Egypt to launch attacks against.
That video came at the same time, hundreds of Egyptian Christian families were forced to leave their homes in North Sinai after a terrorist killing spree targeting.
Aside from the silly reasons mentioned in the infamous Daesh video attacking Christians allegedly because of their support to the regime and so-called dominance on the Egyptian economy, I believe the terrorist organization has got other reasons behind the Palm Sunday attacks.
I think whenever Daesh loses areas in Syria and Iraq , it diverts attention with operations in Egypt.
It is worth to mention that their affiliated group in North lost important areas they used to control to the Egyptian army.
It is not a propaganda but the Egyptian armed forces indeed won control and purged Al-Halal mount in Middle Sinai from militants last month.
Also, it is a must to hint out that in March , one of the original founders of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis Salem Salmy was killed in an airstrike by the Egyptian armed forces. Salmy was from the original militants in Sinai that started their operations against the Egyptian regime in 2005 with the "Tawheed and Jihad" group before changing the name and affiliation several times till becoming Daesh-affiliated in November 2014.
Last week. Daesh announced the death of Salmy in one of its English publications saying that he died from his wounds following the airstrikes.
This is not the first time Daesh-affiliated group attacks targets outside North Sinai. I am fed up with self-claimed terrorism experts and geopolitics analysts claiming in mainstream and social media that those attacks mean the infamous militant group transferred its activity from North Sinai to the Valley of the Nile.
Since 2014 , Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis aka Daesh affiliated group has been active in the valley in a very scary way.
People forgot that that group stood behind the Cairo and Mansoura security directorates as well the attempt to assassinate former minister of interior Ahmed Ibrahim !!
They got a very scary of operations in the valley but people forget.
Still, I must say that since December 2016 and the bombing of Botroseya church their targets shifted to include citizens aka the Egyptian Christians.
The fact we are speaking about a coordinated attack that happened on special day in two different governorates show that we are in front of high level of planning and cells that have not been discovered.
I do not know if Pope Tawadros II was the real target in the second attack or it came by luck.
After many hours of meeting, He addressed the public on TV declaring the emergency status in the country for three months.
He has to get the approval of the House of Representatives according to the Constitution within a week following his declaration. It is not a big problem, he will get by tomorrow.
I got many questions to ask but I am so tired, angry, frustrated and I have to get some good sleep.
May God bless the martyrs of today.
This Sunday was officially the start of "Pains week" in Coptic Orthodox Churches in Egypt in a sad irony.
 |
| From Tanta's Cathedral |
At 9.05 AM Tanta local time, the first explosion took place at St.George Cathedral in Tanta city.
According to early reports, the explosion took place at the first and front rows full of men during the Palm Sunday service.
Already the Palm Sunday service started at 6 AM and should have ended at 12 PM.
It never ended because of the explosion that killed over 29 people and injured not less 70 others.
The victims include a judge, some members of the Church Choir, grandfathers and fathers.
The photos resurfaced online showed horrifying scenes. Reports also came speaking about a severe head that most probably belongs to the Suicide bomber.
The St. George Cathedral is considered the biggest church in the Nile Delta governorate.
 |
| The victims of Tanta bombing from Tanta Cathedral |
News reports claim that that object was actually a bomb that had been defused.
Tensions erupted later between the families of the victims and the security forces.
The head of Tanta security directorate was beaten badly the angry people inside the Church.
After that, he was sacked from his post.
It only took three or four hours I believe when a second explosion took place and that time it was in Alexandria.
The bombing that time turned to be at St.Marks Cathedral in Alexandria, one of the most important churches for Egyptian Coptic Christians.
Already this church is considered the mother church of the Coptic Church.
Unlike Tanta's Cathedral, the explosion took place outside St. Marks Cathedral as the suicide bomber was stopped at the metal detector. The man blew up himself killing at least 11 people including the police force assigned to protect the Cathedral
Luckily , the man was stopped because Pope Tawadros II was inside the Cathedral leading the Palm Sunday service along a number of prominent Coptic Church men.
The Coptic church says that Pope Tawadros II left moments before the attack but the Egyptian ministry of interior says that he was inside it when the attack happened.
I just can't imagine what happened if that suicide bomber went inside the Cathedral during the service and blew up himself.
Among the victims that have been killed in the attack three Egyptian policewomen. This is the first time Egyptian policewomen are killed on duty and in a terrorist attack.
Those ladies were standing the police force at the cathedral to inspect women church goers.
The strength of the explosion in the streets affected the old buildings in the heart of Alexandria.
Daesh and its statements as well warnings
Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks in a very short time compared to similar large attacks in other cities.First , it issued a very small statement on its news agency Amaq which quoted a "security source " in their so-called Islamic City claiming responsibility for the attacks in Alexandria and Gharbia through their social media channels Cairo afternoon.
Then they released one of their blue-red statements with more details about the attacks.
 |
| a couple of sneakers found at the explosion site in the Tanta Cathderal |
The terrorist group that "Abu Baraa Al-Masry" was the suicide bomber in Alexandria bombing while "Abu Isahak Al-Masry" was the suicide bomber in Tanta.
The group renewed its bloody vow that it would continue attacking the Egyptian Christians in the country in the end of the statement.
Interestingly the group did not mention that "Abu Baraa Al-Masry" technically failed in his mission thankfully because he blew himself outside the Church itself.
Daesh already claimed its responsibility for El-Botroseya Church's bombing in December.
It also released in February a-20-minutes video statement vowing more attacks against Egyptian Christians as well calling its supporters in Egypt to launch attacks against.
That video came at the same time, hundreds of Egyptian Christian families were forced to leave their homes in North Sinai after a terrorist killing spree targeting.
Aside from the silly reasons mentioned in the infamous Daesh video attacking Christians allegedly because of their support to the regime and so-called dominance on the Egyptian economy, I believe the terrorist organization has got other reasons behind the Palm Sunday attacks.
I think whenever Daesh loses areas in Syria and Iraq , it diverts attention with operations in Egypt.
It is worth to mention that their affiliated group in North lost important areas they used to control to the Egyptian army.
It is not a propaganda but the Egyptian armed forces indeed won control and purged Al-Halal mount in Middle Sinai from militants last month.
Also, it is a must to hint out that in March , one of the original founders of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis Salem Salmy was killed in an airstrike by the Egyptian armed forces. Salmy was from the original militants in Sinai that started their operations against the Egyptian regime in 2005 with the "Tawheed and Jihad" group before changing the name and affiliation several times till becoming Daesh-affiliated in November 2014.
Last week. Daesh announced the death of Salmy in one of its English publications saying that he died from his wounds following the airstrikes.
This is not the first time Daesh-affiliated group attacks targets outside North Sinai. I am fed up with self-claimed terrorism experts and geopolitics analysts claiming in mainstream and social media that those attacks mean the infamous militant group transferred its activity from North Sinai to the Valley of the Nile.
Since 2014 , Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis aka Daesh affiliated group has been active in the valley in a very scary way.
People forgot that that group stood behind the Cairo and Mansoura security directorates as well the attempt to assassinate former minister of interior Ahmed Ibrahim !!
They got a very scary of operations in the valley but people forget.
Still, I must say that since December 2016 and the bombing of Botroseya church their targets shifted to include citizens aka the Egyptian Christians.
The fact we are speaking about a coordinated attack that happened on special day in two different governorates show that we are in front of high level of planning and cells that have not been discovered.
I do not know if Pope Tawadros II was the real target in the second attack or it came by luck.
The president reacts
Following the attacks, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held a meeting for the National Defense council.During the meeting , he issued his orders to army to deploy its units to protect vital facilities and buildings in Egypt.After many hours of meeting, He addressed the public on TV declaring the emergency status in the country for three months.
He has to get the approval of the House of Representatives according to the Constitution within a week following his declaration. It is not a big problem, he will get by tomorrow.
I got many questions to ask but I am so tired, angry, frustrated and I have to get some good sleep.
May God bless the martyrs of today.
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The Martyrs of Policewomen force in Egypt : Remember their names
Among the 46 martyrs killed who lost their lives in those suicide bombing attacks targeting Egyptian Christians in Tanta and Alexandria on Palm Sunday.
Those three ladies are the first Egyptian policewomen to die on duty as well in a terrorist attack.
Here is a quick post with the names and pictures of those ladies.
Abdel was married to a police general and had two young. The eldest son is a police officer as well.
Sadly , it turned out that her second son died in less than a year. He joined the police academy like his father, mother and brother.
Her younger son passed away while training in a sports club in Alexandria.
He did not die in a terrorist attack as some Pro-Police/army/Sisi/regime Facebook pages claimed.
Asmaa Hussein used to work in the police force at Alexandria port but because it was her fate, she was assigned to the police force at the Cathedral.
Asmaa Hussein was a wife and a mother of two girls "Sandy" and Rodina". Unfortunately, Asmaa left Rodina as a baby.
This young lady was supposed to get married next month.
Those ladies were part of the police force assigned to protect the St.Marks Cathedral during Palm Sunday.
They were assigned to inspect women going to the Church.
All those ladies are Muslim and wearing headscarves as you can tell.
I believe that late Police Colonel Nagwa El-Haggar and Police Corporal Asama Hussein were the two ladies who appeared in the Cathedral taking behind the suicide bomber.
According to news reports, the body of Asama Hussein was badly damaged as she was close to the suicide bomber with few steps away.
I mostly criticize the Egyptian police and their actions on this blog but I can't ignore the sacrifices of those ladies.
Those three ladies are the first Egyptian policewomen to die on duty as well in a terrorist attack.
Here is a quick post with the names and pictures of those ladies.
Police Colonel Nagwa El-Hagar
The first woman to die in that horrifying suicide attack was Colonel Nagwa Abdel Allim El-Hagar. |
| Late Colonel Nagwa with her son |
Abdel was married to a police general and had two young. The eldest son is a police officer as well.
Sadly , it turned out that her second son died in less than a year. He joined the police academy like his father, mother and brother.
Her younger son passed away while training in a sports club in Alexandria.
He did not die in a terrorist attack as some Pro-Police/army/Sisi/regime Facebook pages claimed.
Police corporal Asmaa Hussein
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| Police corporal Asmaa Ibrahim |
Asmaa Hussein was a wife and a mother of two girls "Sandy" and Rodina". Unfortunately, Asmaa left Rodina as a baby.
Police corporal Amina Roshdy
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| Police corporal Amina Roshdy |
Those ladies were part of the police force assigned to protect the St.Marks Cathedral during Palm Sunday.
They were assigned to inspect women going to the Church.
All those ladies are Muslim and wearing headscarves as you can tell.
I believe that late Police Colonel Nagwa El-Haggar and Police Corporal Asama Hussein were the two ladies who appeared in the Cathedral taking behind the suicide bomber.
According to news reports, the body of Asama Hussein was badly damaged as she was close to the suicide bomber with few steps away.
Here is the CCTV showing the two policewomen speaking before the suicide bomber blew up himself up.حصرياً .. لحظة تفجير الإنتحارى لنفسه أمام #الكنيسة_المرقسية#ONLIVE#كنيسة_مارجرجس#طنطاpic.twitter.com/wQX8isHr76— ONlive (@ONliveEgypt) April 9, 2017
I mostly criticize the Egyptian police and their actions on this blog but I can't ignore the sacrifices of those ladies.
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Egypt returns back to the state of emergency
Late Sunday following the terrorist attacks on Egyptian Orthodox cathedrals that killed at least 46 in Alexandria and Tanta, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held an urgent meeting for Egypt's National Defense council.
Hours following the meeting, El-Sisi addressed the Egyptian people in a recorded speech telling to "bear the pain" criticizing at the same time the terrorist attack's coverage in mainstream media.
He also announced that he gave his orders to the Egyptian armed forces to help the police in protect vital infrastructures and facilities.
Then President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the emergency law in Egypt after following the legal conditions
Once again, we are back to the emergency law.
Technically, we lived under emergency law in Egypt in most of our lives in the 20th Century.
We have been living under the state of emergency for the past 83 years. From the 1910s till 2010s, we got only 17 years in total we have lived without the state of emergency.
It is like a curse left by the British occupation just like the infamous bureaucracy that we can not get rid of it.
On Monday, PM Ismail Sherif announced that State of emergency would be in effect starting at 1 PM Cairo local nationwide.
At the same time, he announced that he sent to the House of Representatives asking its members to approve the State of emergency.
According to the constitution's article no.154, the House of Representatives must approve within 7 days on the State of emergency.
Just as all the country expected on Monday that the parliament would approve the state of emergency, its speaker and MPs surprised us by sending the Tiran and Sanafir agreement to the legislative committee and approving the amendments to the protest law.
Yup, against all odds the Parliament speaker sent the Tiran and Sanafir agreement to the legislative at 2.05 PM Cairo despite the High Administrative court order.
Needless to say, protesting the Egyptian Saudi demarcation deal will be like a mission impossible during the state of emergency publicly.
It also approved the new amendments to the controversial protest law.
On Tuesday, the majority of the parliament as expected approved in an initial vote the emergency law as well its amendments without any serious discussion.
It is enough to know that the parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal said that the time of "normal laws" was over and it was the time of "exceptional laws".
The professor of Constitution who also participated in writing the current constitution also added that the "interests of the nation" came "first" before any "constitution" or "law".
This sounds more than alarming.
The parliament sent the emergency law and its amendments to the State council to revise it. Then, it will return back to the parliament for a final vote.
Nevertheless, since 1 PM Monday afternoon, it has been in effect across the country.
The state council's role here is advisory.
For instance, the state of emergency in 2012-constitution would be applied for six months while in 2014-constitution we are speaking about three months only.
But and here is a big but, we are speaking about the state of emergency at the end of the day. It can affect the country badly in three months just either ways and there are many examples
For instance:
Moving to the law itself, here are few examples. :
Ironically and sadly, the government does not need that law or its amendments as it already allows itself to detain people indefinitely in temporary pre-trial detention and it confiscates newspapers with the law.
Also, many people including myself wondered Why El-Sisi and the government did not apply the new Counterterrorism law when it got very similar articles especially the president's powers and the answer is in those words "Emergency high state security court".
Yes, the only difference between the two laws that the old emergency law got special courts whereas the new counterterrorism depends on the current courts in the country.
I am extremely worried about that state of emergency.
Terrorists do not care if the country applies state of emergency or not. They do not recognize our laws already.
Hours following the meeting, El-Sisi addressed the Egyptian people in a recorded speech telling to "bear the pain" criticizing at the same time the terrorist attack's coverage in mainstream media.
He also announced that he gave his orders to the Egyptian armed forces to help the police in protect vital infrastructures and facilities.
Then President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi announced the emergency law in Egypt after following the legal conditions
Once again, we are back to the emergency law.
Technically, we lived under emergency law in Egypt in most of our lives in the 20th Century.
We have been living under the state of emergency for the past 83 years. From the 1910s till 2010s, we got only 17 years in total we have lived without the state of emergency.
It is like a curse left by the British occupation just like the infamous bureaucracy that we can not get rid of it.
On Monday, PM Ismail Sherif announced that State of emergency would be in effect starting at 1 PM Cairo local nationwide.
At the same time, he announced that he sent to the House of Representatives asking its members to approve the State of emergency.
 |
| President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Sunday at the National defense council meeting "Egyptian Presidency" |
Just as all the country expected on Monday that the parliament would approve the state of emergency, its speaker and MPs surprised us by sending the Tiran and Sanafir agreement to the legislative committee and approving the amendments to the protest law.
Yup, against all odds the Parliament speaker sent the Tiran and Sanafir agreement to the legislative at 2.05 PM Cairo despite the High Administrative court order.
Needless to say, protesting the Egyptian Saudi demarcation deal will be like a mission impossible during the state of emergency publicly.
It also approved the new amendments to the controversial protest law.
On Tuesday, the majority of the parliament as expected approved in an initial vote the emergency law as well its amendments without any serious discussion.
It is enough to know that the parliament speaker Ali Abdel Aal said that the time of "normal laws" was over and it was the time of "exceptional laws".
The professor of Constitution who also participated in writing the current constitution also added that the "interests of the nation" came "first" before any "constitution" or "law".
This sounds more than alarming.
The parliament sent the emergency law and its amendments to the State council to revise it. Then, it will return back to the parliament for a final vote.
Nevertheless, since 1 PM Monday afternoon, it has been in effect across the country.
The state council's role here is advisory.
What can happen in the state of emergency?
Theoretically speaking, the conditions and terms of applying state of emergency in the 2014-Constitution are improved comparing to previous constitutions.For instance, the state of emergency in 2012-constitution would be applied for six months while in 2014-constitution we are speaking about three months only.
But and here is a big but, we are speaking about the state of emergency at the end of the day. It can affect the country badly in three months just either ways and there are many examples
For instance:
- According to the amendments approved by the parliament on Tuesday, detentions can occur without warrants and outside of cases in flagrante delicto.
- The amendments allow indefinite temporary detentions.
Moving to the law itself, here are few examples. :
- The law allows the trial of civilians in front of "special courts" aka "Emergency High state security court" upon the orders of the President who has the right to appoint army officers in the judges' panel of those courts.
- The law gives the president the power to refer defendants in any criminal cases to those courts.
- The Emergency high state security court's verdicts can not be appealed. Only the president has the right to pardon or overturn or reduce the sentences of those courts.
- The law allows the authorities to withdraw weapons' licenses.
- The law allows the State to impose curfews, to evacuate and to cordon areas according to the written or oral orders of the president.
- The law allows the President to oversee all means of telecommunication and media as well confiscating newspapers and magazines.
- The law allows the government to oversee social media networks and shutting down accounts.
Ironically and sadly, the government does not need that law or its amendments as it already allows itself to detain people indefinitely in temporary pre-trial detention and it confiscates newspapers with the law.
Also, many people including myself wondered Why El-Sisi and the government did not apply the new Counterterrorism law when it got very similar articles especially the president's powers and the answer is in those words "Emergency high state security court".
Yes, the only difference between the two laws that the old emergency law got special courts whereas the new counterterrorism depends on the current courts in the country.
I am extremely worried about that state of emergency.
Terrorists do not care if the country applies state of emergency or not. They do not recognize our laws already.
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What happened to Apple's FaceTime in Egypt ??
Move aside dear Signal because it seems that Apple's FaceTime is blocked in the country as well.
Since the beginning of the week, Apple's iPhone users in Egypt reported that they can not FaceTime in the country anymore.
I tried twice with a friend of mine two days in a row and found the following:
You can call your contact whether using video or voice chat and he or she will receive that call.
Once he or she answers the call, you can not see or hear her or him.
You can see yourself only if you are having a video chat.
This is what we have concluded from our experience.
We tried this on TEData Wi-Fi and Orange mobile networks.
I do not know about Etisalat and Vodafone thought.
If you are iPhone user in Egypt , please try it and share your experience in the comments section.
Since the beginning of the week, Apple's iPhone users in Egypt reported that they can not FaceTime in the country anymore.
I tried twice with a friend of mine two days in a row and found the following:
 |
| Apple's FaceTime and its big moment in the Middle East last year in Turkey |
Once he or she answers the call, you can not see or hear her or him.
You can see yourself only if you are having a video chat.
This is what we have concluded from our experience.
We tried this on TEData Wi-Fi and Orange mobile networks.
I do not know about Etisalat and Vodafone thought.
If you are iPhone user in Egypt , please try it and share your experience in the comments section.
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King Farouk in 1948 [Flickr]
Kodak Agfa posted a photo:
King Farouk I of Egypt and Sudan revising war plans with commanders of Egyptian army during the 1948 war.
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A history of State of Emergency in Egypt
First, Happy Easter everybody :)
We are still with the state of emergency in Egypt. I forgot to mention in the first post about that Emergency law a very important piece of information.
![State of emergency]( "State of emergency")
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared the state of emergency applied the state of emergency in North Sinai governorate only in October 2014 following the IS-affiliated Anser Beit Al-Maqdis on the Egyptian army checkpoints killing at least 33 army personnel.
Needless to say, the current sad situation in North Sinai and the daily terrorist attacks there prove that the State of emergency is a failure.
It is a daily living example.
The terrorists do not give a damn about the state of emergency or any of our laws. The brainwashed suicide bombers won't be stopped by the state of emergency.
Already, the state of emergency during the time of Mubarak did not stop the terrorists in the 1980s or 1990s for God's sake.
Also, many legal and constitutional experts voiced concerns that the Constitution is being violated by continuous never ending State of emergency.
According to them, Constitution article no.154 which says that the parliament should approve the declaration of state of emergency for three months and that it can be extended for another three months only. I lost counting how many times El-Sisi declared the state of emergency in North Since October 2014.
This is not the only constitution violation when we speak about the state of emergency.
It turned out that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared the state of emergency on last Sunday "9 April 2017" and that declaration was published in the official Egyptian state's Gazette on Monday "10 April 2017" without the approval of the House of Representatives. The parliament should have approved the declaration of the state of emergency first before publishing it in the official gazette.
The House of Representatives approved it on Tuesday "10 April 2017".
I think the new amendments in the 1958-emergency law concerning the detention with an arrest warrant also violated the constitution.
Now Here is a timeline of Emergency law in Egypt since the British occupation.
We are still with the state of emergency in Egypt. I forgot to mention in the first post about that Emergency law a very important piece of information.
Needless to say, the current sad situation in North Sinai and the daily terrorist attacks there prove that the State of emergency is a failure.
It is a daily living example.
The terrorists do not give a damn about the state of emergency or any of our laws. The brainwashed suicide bombers won't be stopped by the state of emergency.
Already, the state of emergency during the time of Mubarak did not stop the terrorists in the 1980s or 1990s for God's sake.
Also, many legal and constitutional experts voiced concerns that the Constitution is being violated by continuous never ending State of emergency.
According to them, Constitution article no.154 which says that the parliament should approve the declaration of state of emergency for three months and that it can be extended for another three months only. I lost counting how many times El-Sisi declared the state of emergency in North Since October 2014.
This is not the only constitution violation when we speak about the state of emergency.
It turned out that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared the state of emergency on last Sunday "9 April 2017" and that declaration was published in the official Egyptian state's Gazette on Monday "10 April 2017" without the approval of the House of Representatives. The parliament should have approved the declaration of the state of emergency first before publishing it in the official gazette.
The House of Representatives approved it on Tuesday "10 April 2017".
I think the new amendments in the 1958-emergency law concerning the detention with an arrest warrant also violated the constitution.
Now Here is a timeline of Emergency law in Egypt since the British occupation.
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More Pages to Explore .....
