SCAF: Army vehicles did not crush protesters 'intentionally'

Armed Forces denied that soldiers used weapons or force during a protest that turned violent Cairo - Akram Ali   Members of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces denied at a press conference Wednesday that soldiers used weapons or force during a protest that turned violent Sunday, killing at least 26 people.
Egypt s ruling military council denied completely of claims of the Egyptian army shooting citizens during and since the Egyptian January 25 Revolution.
They also denied running over citizen or even enemies throughout their history.
Egyptian soldiers never shot any Egyptian citizen, and if they did use their weapons, it will be a disaster, said Major General Mahmoud Hegazy in a military council press conference today.
Major General Adel Emara, assistant defense minister, told reporters during the Nasr City press conference that "the idea of using force is not in our doctrines. We don't do this even in our battles."
Emara said that the military police present during the protest didn't have live ammunition.
"We have facts in front of us. The military police didn't fire at anyone. The armed forces can't directly fire at people. That's because we believe that no one on Egypt's land can dare to fire at the armed forces. The arms of the military are used to kill and not to protect and had we allowed for their use, the results would have been catastrophic."
Major General Adel Emara, assistant defense minister, told reporters during the Nasr City press conference that "the idea of using force is not in our doctrines. We don't do this even in our battles."
He said tear gas was used and defended it as an internationally accepted measure for riot control. However, rights groups have often decried its use against non-violent protesters.
While Emara repeated that the military police had no live ammunition upon SCAF orders, he repeated that soldiers managed "self-restraint."
Emara also accused the protesters of antagonizing the armed forces and possessing firearms, live ammunition, gas cylinders and Molotov cocktails. He showed a video of a protester on top of an armored vehicle attacking soldiers inside. He also showed a video of protesters attacking another soldier and setting civilian cars on fire.
However, Major General Mahmoud Hegazy, another SCAF member, told journalists that the protest was supposed to be peaceful, unlike Emara's account, which suggests that Copts incited the violence prior to the protest.
"We have soldiers who are martyrs and they were killed with bullets and gunshots. I can't tell if there is a third party at play, but we are sure that there was live ammunition."
Emara said the claim that the armed forces is behind these incidents is illogical as he blamed vague third parties.
"The parties that want to kill this revolution achieve their destructive interests and goals using attractive speeches and under smart headlines in disguise."
Meanwhile, Hegazy also said that the information gathered until now does not show who killed the people. He then added, "Did the armed forces kill them? No they did not, for sure."
Activists have criticized SCAF for not announcing the names or the number of military casualties, questioning the veracity of the council's account.
"We are not keen to mention the names of the martyrs in order not to affect the morale of the army, " Emara said in response.
Hegazy added that soldiers allegedly killed on 28 January when massive protests erupted to demand the end of former President Hosni Mubarak's regime also went unnamed.
"We never revealed their names. There is nothing new there," said Hegazy.
The ruling military council has also denied that the army intentionally used armoured vehicles to run over protesters outside the state TV headquarters in Maspero last Wednesday.
"The soldiers driving armoured vehicles were trying to avoid protesters who were throwing stones and Molotov cocktali bombs at them," said SCAF member, Major General Adel Emara.
"We can not confirm or deny the army vehicles crushed protesters because this incident is still under investigation," Emara said.
Emara added that the army's doctrine does not permit soldiers to use armoured vehicles to smash individuals whether friend or foe.