Military raid tests Egypt’s transition

CAIRO, Egypt – Morning broke on a scene that wasn’t supposed to be in the new Egypt: burned military trucks, skeins of barbed wire, blood in the dirt, a protester dead.

In a pre-dawn raid Saturday that stunned the nation, Egyptian soldiers stormed Tahrir Square to disperse about 2,000 protesters angry at the ruling military council for failing to deliver democracy and bring corrupt officials to justice after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak.

The capital’s central square, a scene of celebration two months ago when Mubarak fell from power, became a surprise battlefield as soldiers beat protesters and tore down tents. One demonstrator was shot dead and 71 others were injured. The military said its troops fired only blanks, but protesters said the air was peppered with live ammunition.

The city echoed with sustained gunfire as soldiers swept into the crowd shortly after 3 a.m. Many protesters were dragged toward trucks, and hundreds of others scattered as troops closed ranks and demonstrators threw stones. Tensions were further heightened as protesters formed a line to protect at least eight junior military officers who had switched sides and joined the demonstrations hours earlier.

“We are starting to realize that unfortunately the military is our enemy,” said Mohamed Wagdy, a protester and unemployed engineer who saw the raid. “They were an integral part of Mubarak’s regime, and now their mask has fallen off. Now we can’t say that the army and the people are one hand anymore.”

In a news conference, Gen. Adel Omara said the army cleared the square after demonstrators refused repeated warnings to obey a 2 a.m. curfew. The confrontation, he said, lasted until 5 a.m. but skirmishes erupted again at 5:30 a.m. when “counterrevolutionaries” carrying two rifles and Molotov cocktails arrived. Omara said the death of a protester was reported about that time. Arab media reported that two protesters were killed.

Omara said the military was investigating whether the soldiers who stood with the protesters were impostors in stolen uniforms. The army has grown increasingly sensitive about dissension in its ranks after soldiers have appeared on YouTube videos denouncing the military leadership.

Demonstrators say the ideals of the revolution have been abandoned by a military council led by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, who holds sway over a weak transitional government. The military has scheduled parliamentary elections and has arrested a number of former ministers in Mubarak’s Cabinet, but it is not a democratic institution and it is straining to balance its authority with the demands of the people.

By Saturday evening, thousands of Egyptians had flowed into Tahrir. Protesters set up barbed-wire barricades to keep soldiers out.

“We are not going to leave Tahrir Square now,” said Yasser Atef, sitting near a burned army truck. “We wanted Mubarak put on trial. Now, we want Tantawi on trial. What happened in this square overnight cannot pass until those responsible are punished.”