On March 4, a reported 1,000 Egyptians attacked the State Security
Investigation agency in Alexandria. Egypt's official Middle East News
Agency reported that four police cars were torched and six others were
damaged.
The riot, in which protesters called for the dismantling of State
Security, prompted the Egyptian Army to intervene and evacuate the police
facility in Alexandria. MENA said army units protected the departing police
officers.
At least 21 security officers were assaulted and reported injured.
Witnesses said some of the SSI officers had opened fire on the protesters.
On March 5, 2,500 Egyptians attacked an SSI facility in Cairo and took
over parts of the complex. Soldiers sought to remove the demonstrators, but
there were no clashes reported.
The opposition has called for the restructuring of Egypt's security
forces, particularly State Security, which until Mubarak's ouster contained
500,000 personnel. State Security was deemed the main agency used against
the protest movement in January and February, in which about 400 people
were killed.
Officials said Interior Minister Mahmoud Wagdi has ordered a study on
State Security. They said the study would make recommendations on the
responsibilities and the structure of the agency.
For years, SSI had been under the authority of then-Interior Minister
Habib Adly, regarded as the architect of Egypt's counter-insurgency program.
On March 5, Adly, ousted during the previous month, was brought to a Cairo
court and charged with money-laundering and abuse of his authority.
"I gave Egypt a lot, and I fought terrorism," Adly said.
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