By Mahitab Assran
Islamists continue to claim that ousted president Morsi is the only legitimate president of Egypt as he came to office through free and fair elections.
Tarek El-Morsi, the spokesman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, said that Morsi’s removal in this way is in fact the armed forces “seizing power and legitimacy by force”.
He added that the “true revolutionary youth will wake up and see the truth, [the truth] that the army is stealing the January 25th revolution for the second time”, the first time being the period when the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces ruled Egypt during the transitional period before Morsi was elected.
El-Morsi stressed that the party will not “leave any democratic, peaceful path that could help them regain legitimacy and the democratic system un-walked” and that they will do everything within their power to return to “true democracy” through peaceful democratic means.
Alaa Abul Nasr former president of the Building and Development Party, the political wing of Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya, said this is an outright military coup and the beginning of “a military dictatorial rule”. He urged the party’s supporters to continue protesting against the armed forces’ decision “without clashing with any of the security forces or other protesters”.
Hatem Azzab, vice president of Al-Wasat Party, tweeted that this is a military coup with the blessings of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the Pope, ElBaradei, Al-Nour party and the Tamarrod movement. He also criticised the “age of freedom” Egyptians claim to be starting with “the substitution of an elected president with an appointed one, and the closure of several TV channels.”
Al-Nour Party and the Salafi Da’wa (Salafi Calling) are the only Islamist supporters of the armed forces’ decision to oust Morsi. Al-Nour party issued a statement on Tuesday on their spokesman Nadder Bakkar’s official Facebook page, calling for Morsi to listen to the people, give in to the armed forces decisions and have early presidential elections.
Sayed Kahlifa, vice president of Al-Nour party, confirmed that his party coordinated with the armed forces in ousting Morsi, and is in support of the armed forces’ road map.
Morsi was elected into office on 30 June 2012 and faced a strong opposition of liberals and other Islamist parties. From 30 June to 3 July, nation-wide mass-protests took place, calling for early presidential elections, which were met with pro-Morsi sit-ins in Cairo as well as other governorates.
