Reuters When Egypt's military ruler was caught on video in a civilian suit strolling through downtown Cairo and speaking to passers-by, Web users swiftly mocked it as a stunt to win support from an increasingly mistrustful public. State television said images it broadcast on Monday night, two days after Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi gave testimony in court that some lawyers said favored deposed president Hosni Mubarak, was a chance encounter recorded by a surprised pedestrian. Many Egyptians found that hard to believe. Twitter and Facebook users, who employed the Internet to devastating effect during the anti-Mubarak uprising, responded by circulating a new chant for protesters: “Wear a suit or wear boxers, we will still say, ‘Down with military rule'.” Eight months after Mubarak was toppled and a military council took over, analysts and ordinary Egyptians say the army is protecting the old order that kept Mubarak in office and wants to hold power after it gives up day-to-day government. Some see the rising anger of activists leading to bigger street confrontations with the army if it doesn't change course. “There is a continuing perception that it is part of the old regime,” said political science professor Hassan Nafaa. “They don't want to rule directly but they want to rule from behind the scenes,” Nafaa said, adding that he believed the army had drawn “red lines” to protect its broad business interests and to secure ties with Israel and the United States that guarantee billions of dollars of US military aid. Saturday's testimony by Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council and who served as Mubarak's defense minister for two decades, has deepened the distrust. The judge imposed a news blackout on his remarks, a move that angered Egyptians who wanted transparency. But it has not stopped leaks on the Web or barred lawyers who were at the hearing from publicly declaring his testimony backed Mubarak. The lawyers, who represent the families of some of the roughly 850 people killed in the 18-day uprising, said Tantawi was given an easy ride during questioning and was not subjected to cross-examination that would have given a clear indication about whether Mubarak gave orders to fire on protesters. “The trials are not serious and it is apparent from the beginning that they are protecting the defendants,” said Ingy Hamdy, a spokeswoman of April 6 movement which helped lead the uprising. She spoke after Tantawi had given evidence. A Western diplomat said the army was working to ensure its generals did not suffer the fate of Mubarak, a former military chief. “They are not going to go while there is the spectre of Tantawi ending up like Mubarak in a cage in court,” he said. __
