Egypt warns of 'decisive measures' ahead of protests

Egypt’s interior ministry has warned that “decisive measures” will be taken as security forces prepared for a fourth day in a row of anti-government protests on Friday. The country’s largest opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, said that it would participate in the demonstrations, which are expected to be the biggest yet.

Reuters

The organisation’s lawyer, Abdelmoneim Abdel Maqsoud, told French press agency AFP that at least 20 of its members were arrested overnight, including five former members of parliament and five members of the political bureau.

Other reports say at least 300 members are being held, while internet and mobile phone services have suffered disruption.

Nobel Laureate Mohamed ElBaradei, a notable critic of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, is also due to take part in the protests after arriving late on Thursday from Vienna.

Meanwhile, in his first on-camera reaction to events in Egypt, US President Barack Obama said “violence is not the answer" in solving the country's problems.

He added that he had always made clear to Mubarak that it was “absolutely critical” for him to move towards political reform.

Human Rights Watch said eight demonstrators and a policeman have been killed
in protests in Cairo, Suez, Alexandria and other cities since the unrest began. They said the reaction of Egyptian police had been "wholly unacceptable and disproportionate".