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Russian President Vladimir Putin called an extraordinary session at the Kremlin Saturday to "discuss the situation in Egypt and take the necessary steps to the put Russian military facilities at the Egyptian military's disposal," said an announcement in Moscow, without elaborating. Putin said further that "Russia will arrange for joint military exercises with the Egyptian army." DEBKAfile: Moscow's steps directly conflict with Western condemnation of the Egyptian military's crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. They were taken shortly after President Barack Obama cancelled a joint military exercise with Egypt as a mark of US disapproval.

Islamists outraged by the popular coup that toppled the Mohamed Morsi government have found a target for their wrath. CBS News reports that Coptic Christians in the country have been harrassed, beaten, and killed since Morsi’s removal, and now live in fear of even greater violence which Islamists threaten on a daily basis: It was nighttime and 10,000 Islamists were marching down the most heavily Christian street in this ancient Egyptian city, chanting “Islamic, Islamic, despite the Christians.” A half-dozen kids were spray-painting “Boycott the Christians” on walls, supervised by an adult.While Islamists are on the defensive in Cairo following...

It shows a Muslim Brotherhood "demonstration" in Egypt that was specifically staged to get the most dramatic poses, as the actors freeze their poses for the photographers. Injuries and even bloodstains are faked.

U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham urged Egypt’s military-backed government to release jailed members of the Muslim Brotherhood and called on rival parties in the country to engage in a national dialogue and avoid violence. McCain and Graham met with top military and civilian leaders in Cairo as part of international efforts to resolve a standoff with supporters of the ousted President Mohammad Mursi. “Democracy is the only viable path to stability,” said McCain, a former presidential candidate, calling for “an inclusive political process in which all Egyptians are free to participate,” AFP reported. Both lawmakers referred to the...

Egyptian government officials say a top U.S. diplomat has visited in prison a Muslim Brotherhood leader awaiting trial on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters. The officials say U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met in prison early Monday with Khairat el-Shater, the deputy head of the Brotherhood, the Islamist group from which ousted President Mohammed Morsi hails. He was accompanied by the foreign ministers of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as an EU envoy. The three are in Egypt as part of international efforts to end a standoff between Morsi's supporters and the...

Protesters carry a sign in Tahrir Square blasting Barack Obama and Ambassador Ann PattersonObama’s Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and European Union envoy Bernardino Leon were scheduled to meet with the Muslim Brotherhood’s second in command Khairat el-Shatar today. The Obama administration was set to offer the Muslim Brotherhood three ministers in the Egyptian cabinet. Press TV reported: However, El-Shatar refused to meet with the Western officials. Al-Ahram reported: UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed, his Qatari counterpart Khalid Al-Attiyah, and US Deputy Secretary of State William Burns were scheduled to visit the Muslim Brotherhood’s second-man Khairat El-Shatar in...

SNIP Sissi: The dilemma between the former president and the people originated from [the Muslim Brotherhood’s] concept of the state, the ideology that they adopted for building a country which is based on restoring the Islamic religious empire. That’s what made [former president Mohamed Morsi] not a president for all Egyptians, but a president representing his followers and supporters. Weymouth: When did that become obvious to you? It was obvious on the first day – the day of his inauguration. He started with offending the judiciary and not giving them the appropriate treatment. The Brotherhood experience in ruling a country...

USA Today reports from Cairo at least 10 killed, hundreds wounded in Egypt today on the Muslim Brotherhood's (Ikwhan) "Day of Rejection" of the Egyptian military's removal of President Morsi from office this week after a popular uprising.Twitter photoMeanwhile, the U.S. State Department admitted Secretary of State John Kerry was indeed on his yacht in Nantucket on Wednesday as the revolution in Egypt succeeded:CBS News photo via Twitter(Live Thread) Egypt: American Killed During Violent Clashes (Egypt about to blow up)Live Thread: Egypt Revolution 2.0

Cairo: The General Prosecution revealed on Saturday that Muslim Brotherhood members had recruited Syrians and Palestinians to open fire at protesters opposed to the rule of ousted President Mohammad Mursi. The Brotherhood members asked a Syrian to join them in their protests in return for 500 Egyptian pounds for each protest he would take part in. Investigations revealed that a Syrian called Mohammad Hassan Al Berdkany, was arrested at Maspero after firing birdshot at protesters from Qasr Al Nile Bridge on Friday. Berdkany said he had fled the fighting in his country and had come with his family to Cairo,...