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Egypt's Morsi in Tahrir tribute before oath
June 30, 2012, Saturday
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Egypt's first elected civilian president, Islamist Mohamed Morsi, played up people power ahead of today's actual inauguration by first taking a symbolic oath before a huge throng at Tahrir Square.
On the eve of his official swearing-in, Morsi praised Egypt's Muslims and Christians alike yesterday in front of crowds that packed the birthplace of the revolt that overthrew his predecessor Hosni Mubarak last year.
The president-elect, who won a run-off vote earlier this month, was received with applause by tens of thousands of people, some of whom had waited from early in the day for his appearance.
He promised a "civilian state" and praised "the square of the revolution, the square of freedom", in what he called an address to "the free world, Arabs, Muslims... the Muslims of Egypt, Christians of Egypt".
Morsi symbolically swore himself in before the crowd, saying: "I swear to preserve the republican system... and to preserve the independence" of Egypt.
"I am one of you. I fear only God," he told them.
Before his triumphant arrival, chants against the ruling military -- which took over on Mubarak's overthrow -- rang out as people gathered under a searing sun.
In his speech Morsi, whose election has raised concerns among Egypt's sizeable Coptic Christian community, served Washington advance warning that his politics will be markedly different from those of his ousted predecessor.
He said he would work to secure freedom for Omar Abdul Rahman, a blind Egyptian cleric jailed for life over the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
"I will do everything in my power to secure freedom for... detainees, including Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman," Morsi said.
Abdul Rahman was convicted in 1995 for his role in the World Trade Center attack, plotting to bomb other New York targets including the United Nations, and a plan to assassinate Mubarak.
After taking the oath today, Morsi will have to contend with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), led by Mubarak's longtime defence minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, which will retain broad powers after the formal handover.
The liberal Wafd newspaper reported that Tantawi will remain defence minister in the new government.
But a defiant Morsi threw down the gauntlet to the SCAF, while addressing the people directly.
"You are the source of power and legitimacy... there is no place for anyone or any institution... above this will," he told them. "I renounce none of the prerogatives of president."
-AFP
On the eve of his official swearing-in, Morsi praised Egypt's Muslims and Christians alike yesterday in front of crowds that packed the birthplace of the revolt that overthrew his predecessor Hosni Mubarak last year.
The president-elect, who won a run-off vote earlier this month, was received with applause by tens of thousands of people, some of whom had waited from early in the day for his appearance.
He promised a "civilian state" and praised "the square of the revolution, the square of freedom", in what he called an address to "the free world, Arabs, Muslims... the Muslims of Egypt, Christians of Egypt".
Morsi symbolically swore himself in before the crowd, saying: "I swear to preserve the republican system... and to preserve the independence" of Egypt.
"I am one of you. I fear only God," he told them.
Before his triumphant arrival, chants against the ruling military -- which took over on Mubarak's overthrow -- rang out as people gathered under a searing sun.
In his speech Morsi, whose election has raised concerns among Egypt's sizeable Coptic Christian community, served Washington advance warning that his politics will be markedly different from those of his ousted predecessor.
He said he would work to secure freedom for Omar Abdul Rahman, a blind Egyptian cleric jailed for life over the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
"I will do everything in my power to secure freedom for... detainees, including Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman," Morsi said.
Abdul Rahman was convicted in 1995 for his role in the World Trade Center attack, plotting to bomb other New York targets including the United Nations, and a plan to assassinate Mubarak.
After taking the oath today, Morsi will have to contend with the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), led by Mubarak's longtime defence minister Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, which will retain broad powers after the formal handover.
The liberal Wafd newspaper reported that Tantawi will remain defence minister in the new government.
But a defiant Morsi threw down the gauntlet to the SCAF, while addressing the people directly.
"You are the source of power and legitimacy... there is no place for anyone or any institution... above this will," he told them. "I renounce none of the prerogatives of president."
-AFP
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