Egypt's powerful army chief said the Muslim Brotherhood acted "arrogant and tyrannical" while Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was in power, saying in an interview published Tuesday that Brotherhood leaders warned him of "terrorist attacks" if Morsi falls from power.
It was the first account by Gen Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has given of his ouster of Egypt's first elected president on July 3. Since then, the military-backed interim government waged a full-fledged crackdown on the group, referring top leaders to courts for inciting murder and violence, rounding up hundreds of members and using deadly force against pro-Morsi protests, killing hundreds.
In the interview with the newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, el-Sissi said that the turmoil of the past three months could have been avoided if Morsi had responded to demands made by the gigantic demonstrations that began on June 30, demanding that he step down. El-Sissi said days after the protests began, he met with senior Brotherhood figures, including the group's strongman Khairat el-Shater.
He said el-Shater warned him that the Brotherhood, which made up the backbone of Morsi's administration, would not be able to control retaliation by Islamic groups in Sinai and other areas if Morsi were removed.
"El-Shater spoke for 45 minutes, vowing terrorist attacks, violence, killings by the Islamic groups," el-Sissi told the paper. "El-Shater pointed with his finger as if he is shooting a gun."
"His talk irritated me in an unprecedented way ... Because it showed arrogance and tyranny," el-Sissi said. "I exploded and said ... 'What do you want? You either want to rule us or kill us?"
Addressing Islamists now in the wake of Morsi's fall, el-Sissi said, "Watch out while dealing with Egyptians. You have dealt with Egyptians as if you are right and they are wrong ... (as if) you are the believer and they are the infidels. This is arrogance through faith.
