The Skeptic الشكاك

157 Cracks within the Security Services?

It’s been a busy couple of days interviewing guys who just got of jail. I’m still trying to digest everything I’ve heard. But one thing keeps nagging me, and I’m pretty sure it will never find its way into anything I do professionally: the sympathetic attitude the detainees say their captors showed. Basic Egyptian decency? Something more? I keep hearing that the police said they agreed with the protesters, that the state of the country was a disgrace, that the crackdown bespoke weakness and confusion on the government’s part, that it’s impossible to make a living on a cop’s wages without being a thief.

And this other detail also nags: Every time the detained protesters appeared before the niyaba—the “standing” prosecuting judge—they repeated their standard response, that they would refuse to respond to the charges because they were being prosecuted under unconstutional laws in an unconstitutional system established by executive order. The interrogators didn’t press the point. Instead they had civilized conversations about the rise of leftist politics in Latin America, about the situation in Egypt, alternatives to the Mubarak regime, and so on. Maybe it was a clever interrogation technique. If the activist won’t answer the charges against him, at least the prosecutor can learn everything about him and his beliefs. Reminds me a bit of similar conversations Breyten Breytenbach describes in The True Confessions of an Albino Terrorist. But the image of the prosecutor and the political prisoner having intellectual discussions about Latin American politics won’t leave my head.

To hear them tell it, the detainees spent most of their time in prison protesting: protesting the conditions they were in, protesting the presence of drugs and weapons in the prison, protesting the beating of Al-Sharqawi and Sha’er. It’s a wonder they weren’t released earlier. You’d think the prison system would have spat them out early to be rid of the headache. And I was struck by their success. At one point, the prosecutors came down to the prison to look into the charges, sending the jailors into a frenzied attempt to clean up the problems before their arrival. In the end, the detainees got most of what they wanted: to be out of solitary confinement, to be in a separate section, away from the violent criminals, to have more time for fresh air (not that everything’s lovely in prison now—visitors to Torah prison report that Al-Sharqawi still hasn’t been transferred to the hospital for treatment and that his health is deteriorating).

And then there was Mahmoud Mekky‘s article in Al-Dostour saying he’d had phone calls from prosecuting judges saying they were ashamed of having to handle these cases. And friends far removed from the activist circles tell me about State Security prosecutors privately expressing misgivings about their jobs.

I don’t want to make to much of this. I don’t doubt that plenty of State Security agents have no qualms about beating up anyone, particularly people who can’t really fight back. But I’ve been hearing rumors of discontent within the Security Services for some time. Previously, the rumored grumbling ran, SSI agents were lionized for hunting Israeli spies. New realities (a term of art) have made that a less sexy occupation. Then SSI agents were lionized for hunting down the terrorists who disapproved of all this fraternizing with the enemy. The decimation (remember, these are old rumors) of the armed Islamist movement in Egypt put an end to that, and left SSI as presidential thugs. Times were tough for guys recruited into what they thought was an elite unit…or that was the rumor. Too bad it wouldn’t pass journalistic muster.

Thing is, now I’m hearing about grumblings within the security apparatus from lots of directions. Cause for optimism? Well, sort of. Some people say last month’s crackdown, then abrupt change of course, was a sign of the government’s confusion and weakness. One learned friend keeps telling me that the problem is that the members of the New Guard don’t have experience in politics, that the Old Guard might have been thoroughly corrupt, but they at least new how to maintain control. The Old Guard, he says, would have quietly settled this problem with the judges long before it got to this point.

Every day it feels more like we’re approaching a crucial moment in Egypt’s history. I hope everyone involved will tread carefully as it approaches.

[tags]Egypt[/tags]

6 Comments »

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1. actually, i have a friend who is a state prosecuotr (not amn dawla tho) and he told me that many prosecutors when they have political detainees appear before them, as they appeared before him, do what they can to prevent their mistreatment and generally try and reduce the charges. however, their orders come from above, and in order to escape bloodying their hands conscientious prosecutors pass the cases on. he also said that the crazed motherfuckers are few, known by name and that their end is near. he didn’t say how, but bascially many government staffers disapprove of what is going on. he also gave me a warning that the government is planning an even bigger blogger crackdown…

   Comment by forsoothsayer — June 16, 2006 #

2. Interesting, fss, thank you.

   There does seem to be something brewing. A lot of the bloggers are saying they’re getting more nasty comments from people who seem to be SSI agents.

   That would be a shame. Egypt has thus far maintained a relatively open policy WRT online speech, and has done a really good job in spreading access. The government should look at the heat companies have gotten for doing business with China, recognize Egypt’s not quite as attractive a market, and consider whether the government really wants to lose its reputation as a regional leader in this regard.

   Comment by Administrator — June 16, 2006 #

3. It’s good to hear that some security guys still have a conscience and we can always hope that in future confrontations their willingness to apply brute force and do the bidding of their bosses will be slightly weakened by it…then again it could also be a fake-out, bending but not cracking, etc.

   For some reason I’ve been thinking about the Egyptian situation in comparison with Nepal, where the army seemed firmly under the control of the king, got funds from the US and India to fight the Maoists (equivalent to Egypt MB, let’s say), did some pretty brutal things, cracked down on protests and tortured prisoners, but after the Maoists and the opposition parties agreed to coordinate to oppose the king he really had no other choice but to step down – control of the military and police notwithstanding. I suppose the difference is that the Nepali maoists were already in control of most of the countryside, and the Nepalese parties are better established and have had more recent experience in government but wouldn’t it be something if the Egyptian opposition parties could really strike a deal with the Brothers, boycott elections, rally together for democracy, etc.

   Comment by SP — June 16, 2006 #

4. SP – It’s a pleasure to hear you think out loud.

   But yeah, as you note, there are some pretty big differences between the Nepalese situation and the Egyptian one… thank God. Things haven’t gotten that bad here yet.

   Comment by Administrator — June 17, 2006 #

5. What would be so bad about a Nepal-like situation in Egypt – at least they’ve ended the civil war and started a reconciliation process with the Maoists and included them in the democratic process, no?

   The irony is that the divine-right king of Nepal was probably less wedded to power than our dear Laughing Cow.

   Comment by SP — June 17, 2006 #

6. Yes, things seem to be looking up in Nepal. I was thinking more about the recent past: Maoists holding up villages at gunpoint, then the soldiers coming in and razing the villages for harboring Maoists. You know — that kind of thing.

   Comment by Administrator — June 17, 2006 #

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