Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt court rules against military

AN Egyptian court has suspended a government decision allowing military police and intelligence to arrest civilians, a setback for the country's military rulers after the decree drew an outcry from opponents who accused them of trying to impose martial law.

The Justice Ministry issued a decree on June 13 that allowed military police and intelligence agents to arrest civilians for even minor offences such as traffic violations.

Rights activists feared the new powers essentially reproduced the country's hated emergency law, which had expired just two weeks earlier after more than 30 years in force. The emergency law granted broad powers of arrest and detention to police that were abused over the years and fed the popular anger that led to last year's uprising.

Critics said the new powers of detention could extend the rule of the generals, even if they transfer power to the elected president by the end of this month as promised.

"This (court ruling) is the best possible way to have such a repressive law struck down," said Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Egypt. "It is a pretty significant decision against a decree that would have permanently given the military this right of law enforcement and encroachment on civilian life."

Military officials said at the time that the new powers were only meant to fill a security vacuum resulting from the uprising when the police force collapsed and disappeared from the streets during the first days of mass protests.

The government, which was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), can appeal the court decision.

The military has pledged to turn power over to a civilian government once a new president is named. On Sunday, Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood was declared Egypt's first freely elected president in modern history.

However Mr Morsi is facing a power struggle with the military rulers after they stripped the presidency of its major powers one week before the winner of the election was announced.

The ruling military council has used court decrees and constitutional declarations to stop Islamists from controlling all the executive and legislative branches.

The same court postponed a key decision on overturning the ruling military council's order to disband the Islamist-dominated parliament.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here

Egypt swears in first freely elected president

Mohamed Morsi takes the oath of office but his day of triumph is unlikely to mark end of political strife in Egypt. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ISLAMIST Mohamed Morsi promised a "new Egypt" as he took the oath of office to become the country's first freely elected president, succeeding Hosni Mubarak who was ousted 16 months ago.

At his inauguration before the Supreme Constitutional Court, Morsi also became the Arab world's first freely elected Islamist president and Egypt's fifth head of state since the overthrow of the monarchy some 60 years ago.

He took the oath before the court's 18 black-robed judges in its Nile-side seat built to resemble an ancient Egyptian temple.

"We aspire to a better tomorrow, a new Egypt and a second republic," Morsi said during a solemn ceremony shown live on state television.

"Today, the Egyptian people laid the foundation of a new life - absolute freedom, a genuine democracy and stability," said Morsi, a 60-year-old US-trained engineer from the Muslim Brotherhood, a fundamentalist group that has spent most of the 84 years since its inception as an outlawed organisation harshly targeted by successive governments.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen guarded the building as Morsi arrived shortly after 11am local time in a small motorcade. Only several hundred supporters gathered outside the court to cheer the new president and, in a departure from the presidential pomp of the Mubarak years, traffic was only briefly halted to allow his motorcade through on the usually busy road linking the city centre with its southern suburbs.

Morsi's inauguration signals a personal triumph. He was not the Brotherhood's first choice as president, and was thrown into the presidential race when the group's original candidate, chief strategist and financier Khairat el-Shater, was disqualified over a Mubarak-era criminal conviction.

Derided as the Brotherhood's uncharismatic "spare tyre", his personal prestige has surged since his victory and his delivery of a Friday speech that tried to present him as a candidate not just of Islamists but of all those who want to complete the work of the 2011 uprising against the authoritarian Mubarak.

"Egypt today is a civil, national, constitutional and modern state," Morsi, wearing a blue business suit and a red tie, told the judges in the wood-panelled chamber where he took the oath of office. "It is a strong nation because of its people and the beliefs of its sons and its institutions."

Morsi later travelled to Cairo University where he was to make his inauguration address. He was given an official welcome by an army band that played the national anthem as he stood to attention. Military ruler Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi was in attendance. His arrival was greeted with chants of, "The army and the people are one hand", from the hundreds gathered in the university's main lecture room.

Established in 1908 as a bastion of secular education, Cairo University later became a stronghold of Islamist student groups in the 1970s. Many of those student leaders have gone on to become senior members of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, the nation's oldest and most powerful Islamist movement.

A handover ceremony hosted by the military generals who ruled Egypt since Mubarak's ouster follows.

Morsi took a symbolic oath on Friday in Tahrir Square, birthplace of the uprising that ended Mubarak's authoritarian rule last year, and vowed to reclaim presidential powers stripped from his office by the military council that took over from the ousted leader.

But by agreeing to take the official oath before the court, rather than before parliament as is customary, he is bowing to the military's will in an indication that the contest for power will continue.

Morsi's speech in Tahrir Square was filled with dramatic populist gestures. The 60-year-old president-elect staked a claim to the legacy of the uprising and voiced his determination to win back the powers stripped from his office by the generals.

View the original article here