ElBaradei warns of revolution in Egypt

 

 Former IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei

Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei has warned of a "Tunisia-style explosion" in his country as the nation gears-up for massive protests.

"If the Tunisians have done it, Egyptians should get there too," the former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency said in an interview with the German weekly Der Spiegel to be published on Monday.

He said discontent in Egypt arises from "fundamental needs," adding that an uprising led by the poor is probable.

ElBaradei urged Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak not to seek another term in office when his mandate expires in September and urged him to lift the state of emergency and call free elections.

Members of Mubarak's camp have said he will run for president again. The Egyptian leader has been in power since 1981.

ElBaradei's remarks came at a time when an unemployed Egyptian man died in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria after setting himself on fire, reportedly to protest rampant joblessness in the country.

Ahmed Hashem Al Sayed, 25, died in the hospital on Tuesday for burns he suffered after setting himself ablaze on the roof of his house in a second suicide attempt.

On Tuesday, two other Egyptian men that were inspired by events in Tunisia attempted to set themselves on fire in downtown Cairo.

Earlier on Saturday, hundreds of Egyptians gathered outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo to show their solidarity with Tunisians and called for protests similar to those in Tunisia.

Self-immolation attempts have spread across North African countries after an attempt by an unemployed Tunisian man to set himself on fire sparked an uprising that ended the 23-year rule of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

AO/MGH

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