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Sunday, January 27, 2013

EGYPT | Violent riots north of Cairo At least 30 dead after the death sentence of the accused from Port Said


An Egyptian court has sentenced to death 21 accused of participating in the killing of the football stadium in Port Said , north of Cairo, one of the bloodiest chapters of Egyptian sports history in which 74 fans died in February. After the verdict, violence has erupted around the prison in Port Said, where relatives of those convicted have tried to storm the compound. Official sources are already at least 30 dead and over 300 wounded in the clashesThe head of the Hospital of Port Said said the state newspaper 'Al Ahram' that "there are many more serious injuries , so the death toll could rise in the coming hours. " A group of people has burned a police station and blocked the road linking the town with nearby Ismailia. The railway authority has decided to suspend train service in the town, while the army sent troops into the city in an attempt to restore stability, as reported by the General Staff to Ahmed Wasfi official agency Mena. This is the second location where troops are deployed in the last hours after the arrival of army units to the nearby Suez after serious riots of the past few hours. In view of what happened, Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, has canceled the morning trip to Ethiopia and discusses the latest violence in an emergency meeting with the Council of National Defense , formed by ministers and heads of the bodies security and armed forces.

Chaos? Premeditated?

The Muslim Brotherhood has claimed responsibility for the riots in Egypt to a premeditated plan, fueled by the media and had the "implicit support of the silence of the opposition." The Brotherhood said in a statement that " the press not only uninformed people charged in hatred against the regime and urged her to get out of legitimacy, but also spread the sabotage plans before putting them up. " In his view, this shows that "there is someone who has planned, financed and repeated those plans in several provinces." The statement considered that the silence of the opposition political parties to condemn the crimes when they provided "political cover and the implicit support". The note added that while the Egyptian people are prepared to harvest the fruits of their revolution of 2011, was surprised by those who "try to turn into a nightmare hope and joy in griefand create panic and terror in various regions." This Saturday the National Salvation Front (FSN), Egypt's main opposition coalition, threatened not to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for spring, if not canceled and the current Constitution does not form an executive of national unity. 

Amateur ultras

Preceded by violent clashes on Friday claimed the lives of 10 people, the ultras had threatened to wreak havoc if the verdict ignored their demand for capital punishment. In Cairo, thousands of fans radicals Laureate Al Ahli football team have exploded with joy to know the ruling on television. The crowd launched fireworks and chants echoed when the judge read the names of 21 of the 73 accused to be "sent to Mufti", the highest religious authority in Egypt that must review and approve the sentence . Lawyers for the defendants can appeal the sentence, which could delay the process for several years. Most of those sentenced to death are fans ultras of Al Masri , the home of Port Said. The rest of the defendants, which include nine police officers and staff of the club will have to wait until March 9 to hear the ruling. On February 1, 2012, a crowd invaded the pitch after the victory of Al Masri and threw stones, bottles and flares at fans of Al Ahli , with the connivance of the security forces. In just fifteen minutes, the stadium became a trap that took the lives of 74 people. The tragedy revived clashes between police and thousands of protesters in several cities that left 16 dead. The incident forced the cancellation of the league , after a year's hiatus of 2 return next February. The first season after the tragedy, however, will be played behind closed doors for security reasons.

Mubarak

The extended version of the incident because the police and supporters of ousted Hosni Mubarak in an attempt to punish the ultras, who formed the vanguard against the agents in the days of the riots that forced the departure of the dictator. Earlier this week, Attorney General Abdullah Talaat new evidence and unsuccessfully requested the reopening of the investigationJoy also toured the courtroom, where relatives of victims wept and shouted "God is great", and the outskirts of the police academy, the reciento located on the outskirts of Cairo where Hosni also judged Mubarak. There, families of victims shouted: "The Interior Ministry dogs killed my son" or "Revenge, Revenge of the mothers of the martyrs"Just last Tuesday, the Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi issued a decree recognized as martyrs of the revolution of January 25 to those killed in the football stadium.

Rabies in Port Said

However, rabies has spread Saturday in Port Said, a town suffering from the Egyptians still the stigma of having been the scene of the disaster. Relatives of the accused have protested near the prison of Port Said. According to the state newspaper 'Al Ahram', after the verdict, the crowd tried to storm the prison complex and the police have fired teargas to disperse the mob. Some witnesses have reported that in the scuffle even strangers have opened fire on the officers . To stop the incidents, armored vehicles have been deployed in the streets adjacent to the jail.

Fact Finding

Failure hear the pleas of the relatives, who have never ceased to claim revenge against the killers. "My son died of suffocation under the feet of those who fled," said a few months ago to ELMUNDO.es Abdelraman father Fathi. That night, the young architecture student in Cairo, was attending the game of his club, Al Ahli, when the final whistle precipitated the greatest tragedy that a football field had witnessed in the last 15 years. "It was planned . The stadium light went out, the front doors were locked and bodies were thrown from the stands , "he says with the same version of events that last April the prosecutor argued at the start of the trial. According to the criminal investigation, law enforcement officials allowed entry to the stadium of knives, stones and flares . And remained impassive when a tide was launched on the lawn ."What happened was a plot by the police and Mubarak's men .'s security chief hits simply because they did not control was an interested party, "says Muhad. His son drowned all Saleh dreams-including being during flight engineer. Since the tragedy, the families of the victims have suffered a long ordeal: have blurred and buried the bodies with the disappointment of not finding reasons to disaster have joined the marches organized by the ultras Cairenes equipment to demand justice and have had to respond even some Salafi leaders (ultraconservative), who questioned the nature of the dead martyr."Those who attended the game and did not die for God but for leisure," said a well-known sheikh. "They are stupid. Our children are martyrs and I have a fatwa (Islamic decree) that certifies" Muhad ditch. "We need to apply the eye for the eye against those who promoted, facilitated and committed the crime. deserve death, "says the father of Saleh. "We want to apply the law of retaliation , "reiterates Wagib Ahmed, brother of another victim. He adds: "The killing was revenge.'s Ultras are enemies of the police and there is a war between them".


Australian Open l Azarenka repeated throne in Australia


With her hundredth point in the match Azarenka queen remained in the first Grand Slam of the season, in a final in which Li, finalist in 2011, had to fight against the current. The Chinese player suffered two crashes during the match, a sprained ankle, dizziness, and even won the first set, as he did in the final two seasons ago against Belgian Kim Clijsters, succumbed again in three sets. Li winning would have done a great service to American Serena Williams, who had regained the number one position in the world, and also with 30 years and 335 days, he would become the oldest winner in the Open triumph Australia. Li had become the first player after the Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova at Roland Garros 2009 to win a Grand Slam at the one and two in the world, but crying over his defeat. However remain fifth in the world ranking of Monday morning, in which the Belarusian fulfill their 48 weeks at the front, followed by Maria Sharapova and Serena. To "Vika" victory marked the first title of the year and the fifteenth of his career. But the party was a carousel of broken over and over, with thirteen in all, too many for a final of a Grand Slam, which at times keep the service was an impossible task. Mal started the game for Li, who started the match with a double fault on the first point, although the Chinese took the first set with a double fault and end of the Belarusian fourth Asian opportunity. Azarenka dominated the second quarter to stand at 3-0, and put everything in their favor, in the fifth game when Li suffered a sprained left ankle. For nearly ten minutes the specter of planned withdrawal on Rod Laver Arena, recalling the abandonment of the Belgian Justine Henin to Amelie Mauresmo in the 2006 final. But after being bandaged the area, Li recovered and kept battling but with less intensity than in the first quarter, to finish this set delivering, with breaks included in the ninth game. The break in the third set for almost 20 minutes for the traditional fireworks on the Yarra River marking the "Australia Day" Li was tapped to be served again, after suffering a fall and to receive new neck massage because some dizziness. With so many setbacks, Azarenka was not too hard to break his opponent's serve twice more to achieve victory at the first opportunity. "Congratulations to Victoria for the great results he has achieved here in the last two years," Li said at the trophy ceremony, "I love playing here, I know I'm young but I'll try again next year," continued Chinese player who spent a wink to his team led by Argentine coach Carlos Rodriguez and husband Jiang Shan. "Two weeks ago I hated my team, because I pushed hard to work, but now I think I should shut up and go," he said. Azarenka's speech was much more formal and never mentioned the injury Li, and also was interrupted by some whistles from the public, who did not forget his incident in the semifinal match against American Sloane Stephens, when it was the bathroom for ten minutes after squandering five match points. "It's been two long weeks, but always keep my best memories of this track, and keep in my heart forever," said "Vika" who wished his rival "the best" and see "more final" to end with a phrase is congraciaba with fans: "I wish you all a happy Australia Day."