Itehadia Martyrs and Victims Conference: Unarmed Brotherhood Youth Defended Democracy

Amid a conspicuous absence of most Egyptian media, families of Muslim Brotherhood martyrs and wounded who fell in the front of Itehadia Presidential Palace, in Cairo, organized a press conference at the Leadership and Business Development Center – in Giza.

The victims’ families condemned the weakness of security forces that should have protected peaceful demonstrators who stood in favor of the legitimacy of the elected of President Mohamed Morsi and his government, affirming their willingness to make even more sacrifices to protect the legitimacy of the homeland.

Conference attendees criticized loop-sided media coverage of events as well as the magnanimous political cover provided for thugs, approvingly describing them as revolutionaries and protesters.

They emphasized that Itehadia demonstrators made citizen’s arrests, apprehending armed thugs in a courageous attempt to uphold the principles of law. Then, they immediately handed them to security forces.

But the security forces failed the demonstrators, and released the thugs so no one knows who the killers are until today. The families then urged security authorities to reveal the names of those who used the teargas bombs, Molotov cocktails and firearms that maimed and killed supporters of the President.

Egyptian artist Wagdi Al-Arabi said that Egyptian media made believe that Itehadia martyrs were killed as they broke up the sit-in and removed tents outside the Presidential Palace, which were false fabrications by the media.

"Our children went to Itehadia only for one goal – to defend legitimacy. This means protecting the elected President and his government. We all knew there was a criminal plot to seize the Itehadia Palace.

"Brotherhood youths did not go to Itehadia armed with knives or guns or Molotov cocktails. They went completely unarmed. They fell victim of the violent chaos, and the desperate desire of former regime cronies to resume their corruption ploys. Ten of our best youths paid the ultimate price for patriotism. Of course, we do not forget that one leftist journalist, Al-Husseini Abu-Deif, an Egyptian brother and son, also died among Brotherhood youths."

Al-Arabi addressed a message to Abu-Deif’s family, saying: "The hand of aggression, oppression, hatred and vengeance does not differentiate between one man and another. We know which camp caused these deaths and injuries.

"Those who want to build Egypt, do not seek to destroy it. They should join hands with the rest of the Egyptian people, and treat martyrs and youths who were wounded in the Itehadia incident just like martyrs of the January 25 revolution.

"Those who incite Egyptian youths to sedition in this homeland, send their children abroad. At the moment when this homeland starts to really burn, those will flee – taking their wealth and their children with them, of course."

Hoda Abdel-Moneim, Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) leader, said: "Testimonies made by the media in general, with regard to Itehadia incident and the Martyrs and wounded of those bloody events, were certainly unfair.

"The mass rally that mourned those martyrs, which marched from Al-Azhar mosque in the presence of a huge number of people, was not at all covered by the media."

The FJP leader called on the media to hear the testimony of every martyr’s mother, wife or sister, and to report the facts to the world.

Fatima Al-Zomar, FJP Secretary in Giza, had three messages, to mothers of martyrs and wounded – for patience, courage and fortitude; and to honorable judges of Egypt – to continue to establish justice and never ignore the rights of martyrs; and to the enemies of the revolution, "We will not let you mess with our country. Even if you kill all men and youths of Egypt, you will have to face up to Egyptian women".

One Brother wounded in the Itehadia incident said, "Immediately after the evening prayers, I was surprised to see a number of youth gathering quickly in Roxy Square. Then, they began throwing stones. I walked slowly towards them, with my hands clearly up in the air – in a gesture of ‘peace’, asking them to stop throwing stones. Nevertheless, they threw the stone that hit me in the head. Then, they started throwing Molotov cocktails at us. Soon, live bullets rang out, and martyrs started falling. No-one would do that, unless they are ‘properly’ backed and armed.