A parliamentary committee has blamed Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim for the killing of protesters at the Interior Ministry following the Port Said football disaster, and called for the People's Assembly to issue a vote of no confidence in the minister.
The committee, which included members of the youth and defence committees, on Tuesday accused both police and infiltrators among the protesters of using birdshot during the violence that erupted on 2 February, the day after 74 people died at a football match in Port Said. Protesters blamed the interior ministry for failing to prevent, or instigating, the disaster.
Osama Yassin, chairman of the youth committee, said the committee had visited the area around the interior ministry, Tahrir Square and a number of hospitals in downtown Cairo.
"Our visit found that birdshot was used to disperse protesters and many people – including police soldiers – were seriously injured," he said.
In a statement to the People's Assembly on Tuesday, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said: "Beginning on 2 February, waves of attackers attempted to storm the interior ministry and police stations in several governorates, and we were forced to use tear gas to disperse them."
Ibrahim strongly denied that police used birdshots against protesters.
"I informed the prosecutor-general and told him to send investigators to see for themselves whether we used live fire or not," said Ibrahim.
"When you are in your home and someone wants to attack you, what you should do?" he asked. "All we want is peace and we do not want to use fire. However, we are in our home and we have to protect ourselves."
Mahmoud El-Khodeiri, chairman of the legislative affairs committee and a reformist judge, emphasised that there was a pressing need to help the interior ministry.
"If this ministry is disrupted, all of Egypt will be disrupted," he said.
Liberal MPs blamed the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) for the proliferation of thugs and acts of violence in Egypt.
Ziad El-Oleimi, a member of the Egyptian Democratic Socialist Party, accused Egypt's de facto ruler and head of the SCAF, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, for the violence.
"We believe that SCAF stands behind this security instability in order to stay in power," said Oleimi.
Osama Yassin, chairman of the youth committee, said the committee had visited the area around the interior ministry, Tahrir Square and a number of hospitals in downtown Cairo.
"Our visit found that birdshot was used to disperse protesters and many people – including police soldiers – were seriously injured," he said.
In a statement to the People's Assembly on Tuesday, Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said: "Beginning on 2 February, waves of attackers attempted to storm the interior ministry and police stations in several governorates, and we were forced to use tear gas to disperse them."
Ibrahim strongly denied that police used birdshots against protesters.
"I informed the prosecutor-general and told him to send investigators to see for themselves whether we used live fire or not," said Ibrahim.
"When you are in your home and someone wants to attack you, what you should do?" he asked. "All we want is peace and we do not want to use fire. However, we are in our home and we have to protect ourselves."
Mahmoud El-Khodeiri, chairman of the legislative affairs committee and a reformist judge, emphasised that there was a pressing need to help the interior ministry.
"If this ministry is disrupted, all of Egypt will be disrupted," he said.
Liberal MPs blamed the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) for the proliferation of thugs and acts of violence in Egypt.
Ziad El-Oleimi, a member of the Egyptian Democratic Socialist Party, accused Egypt's de facto ruler and head of the SCAF, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, for the violence.
"We believe that SCAF stands behind this security instability in order to stay in power," said Oleimi.
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