Special to WorldTribune.com

CAIRO — At least 20 people were killed and 50 injured when regime
supporters attacked a protest vigil outside the Defense Ministry in Cairo on May 2.

The military regime in Egypt was alleged to have employed
mercenaries to attack the Islamic opposition.

In a reflection of the last days of President Hosni Mubarak, the ruling
Supreme Council of Armed Forces was accused of organizing militias to attack the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafist movement.

Opposition sources said the militias were believed to be members of special security units in civilian dress.

“SCAF and the government are unable to protect civilians or in cahoots with thugs,” Mohammed El Baradei, a leading opposition figure, said. “Egypt is going down the drain.”

For hours, uniformed Egyptian security troops did nothing as the purported regime supporters fired guns and hurled firebombs toward the demonstrators. The Islamists responded by throwing rocks.

By noon, Egyptian Army and police units, supported by armored personnel carriers, arrived to separate the two sides. No arrests were reported.

“Eight armored personnel carriers from the military central zone entered
the Abassiya area to disperse the fighting between protesters, and not to
disperse the peaceful demonstrators, “an army statement said.

“However, protesters attacked the armed forces. The armed forces have orders to hold their ground.”

The Islamist vigil, which reached about 1,000 people, began on
April 28 after the regime rejected the presidential candidacy of Hazem Saleh
Abu Ismail. Abu Ismail, a Salafist cleric, was rejected because his mother
held both Egyptian as well as American citizenship. Presidential elections
have been scheduled for May 23.

Egypt’s state-owned media asserted that some of the Islamists brought
weapons to the demonstration. They also said the vigil had elicited anger
from residents of the Abassiya neighborhood.

But opposition sources said the attack on the vigil was planned and
began with the publication of false rumors. They said the regime was alarmed
by reports that off-duty soldiers and security officers were visiting the
Islamists. One officer was arrested on late May 1.

The alleged regime agents were also allowed to establish roadblocks to
stop Islamists from reaching the Defense Ministry. Still, the clashes
continued throughout May 2.

“We want to see an immediate end to this violence,” U.S. State
Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said. “We want to see the government
of Egypt investigate these events and hold those responsible for the
violence accountable. We obviously support the rights of all individuals to
peacefully protest.”

Political figures protested the attacks. The Brotherhood-aligned Freedom
and Justice Party, expected to win the presidential elections,
boycotted a meeting with the ruling military council and planned to
participate in a mass rally on May 4.

“The number of dead and injured foreshadows a disaster, and it is
unacceptable for security agencies to stand and watch as clashes continue
and blood is shed,” presidential candidate Amr Mussa said.

  20 dead in Egypt protests; Opposition charges mercenaries attacked Islamists, 20 killed, Abassiya, Freedom and Justice Party, Hazem Saleh Abu Ismail, Mohammed El Baradei, Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists, Supreme Council