Egypt: Protesters raid on Cairo state security HQ

[bemildred]

Source: BBC

Egyptian protesters have stormed the headquarters of the secret police in Cairo, demanding that the organisation be dismantled.

It followed rumours that officials were destroying documents that could be used in court to prove human rights abuses.

On Friday, some 200 protesters stormed the agency's offices in Alexandria after police fired on protesters.

The abolition of the force has been a demand of protesters who ousted Hosni Mubarak as president in February.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12657464

[azurnoir]

1. I wonder if it's 'beginning' to dawn on Egyptians

that they may well have exchanged a civilian dictatorship for a military one.

[loudsue]

2. Well aren't you so superior to all those stupid Egyptians who didn't know

a damned thing. Silly little people with brown skin don't know much, do they?

:sarcasm:

Yes. They knew exactly what they might face, and they are doing the best they can. A hell of a lot better than we're doing with our military-run government on this side of the pond. Two overseas wars eating up every bit of our taxpayer dollars, and mortgaging the rest of our wealth to China. Unbridled control of our media by people trying to keep us all on slave wages. We need to learn to Walk Like An Egyptian.

[azurnoir]

4. lol you apparently do not get the meaning of ''

I should have added courtesy of the west and it's ally(s)

[loudsue]

5. I'm sorry for the sarcasm, asurnoir. I'm being an asshole today.

My brother, a long time democrat in name only, has started sending out all kinds of rightwing e-mails, and doesn't see the problem with them. Today, I sent back an "answer" to one, and I know it is going to cause a stink. I've been in a really angry mood all day because of it, and I'm just an asshole today.

I'm sorry I took it out on you. Peace? :hug:

[azurnoir]

6. It's ok we all have our days, lord knows I have too

hope you feel better, I have a sister who converted and became a Xristian fundie spo I know sibs can be trying

[starroute]

3. Twitter hashtag is #amndawla

Do a Google search on that, then hit Realtime in the left sidebar. (You don't need a Twitter account.)

They're talking about materials on torture, election-rigging. Wikileaks has offered to help reconstruct the mountains of shredded documents.

History in the making, kiddies.

[bengalherder]

7. Awesome pic at this link

&xsize=640&ysize=640
http://forums.whyweprotest.net/threads/egyptians-secret-service.77561/#post-1439224

Sorry, I cannot get the image to transfer here and cannot find another copy of it yet on Google.

Egyptian SS #AmnDawla penetration videos http://www.youtube.com/user/egyptocracy



Wikileaks twitted:

"Egyptians: Don't throw away #AmnDawla shredded paper! We have the world's best shredder reconstruction team on hand."

and

"Egyptians: Here is an example of anti-shredding, used to piece together the Stasi (German SS) archives http://is.gd/hMQXvY "

I love the image of the guy kicked back on the mountain of shredded papers reading some kind of ledger...

PS: further perusal of YFrog photo stream also shows more pics of piles of shredded docs and cells inside the building used for detention and torture.
http://yfrog.com/gznjcobj

[bengalherder]

8. Comment by photographer at above link

I AM INSIDE #SS headquarters in Nasr City!! We are freeing the detainees now!! @sandmonkey @manaleltahawy
posted by @yasserseif from TweetDeck 5 hours 48 mins ago

[bemildred]

9. Secret police HQ raided as protesters hunt evidence

CAIRO: Hundreds of protesters stormed the headquarters of Egypt's widely feared State Security Investigations agency and began sifting through thousands of potentially inflammatory documents, marking another step in dismantling the administration of Hosni Mubarak.

State Security was responsible for suppressing domestic political dissent, as well as for internal counterterrorism, and had a reputation for torturing detainees. The documents could provide a trove of information for cases against the Mubarak government, from the former president down, and could be explosive if publicised, analysts said.

State Security also collaborated with the US on counterterrorism and was likely to have kept files on the rendition program under which terrorism suspects from around the world were sent to Egypt by the US, Mr Zarwan said.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/secret-police-hq-raided-as-protesters-hunt-evidence-20110306-1bjmv.html

There could be all sorts of interesting stuff in SSI files, not just torture, corruption, and abuse.

[The Magistrate]

10. This, My Friend, Is the First Hint Of Real Revolution In Egypt

[bemildred]

11. Indeed Sir, one can only wonder how far along the shredding was.

There has been no real move to "reassert authority" in Egypt, or if there has, it has not succeeded. One hesitates to draw any conclusion from that, and yet it seems to indicate something.

We live in interesting times. It's enough to make you want to stick around so you can watch the show.

[bemildred]

12. Oh my:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x567560

[Alamuti Lotus]

13. February was nice, but October will be more interesting ... again

Though I am reminded of what KM said about the times when "history repeats itself".