CAIRO — Tensions soared in Egypt on Saturday as the nation awaited the results of a divisive presidential election and the Muslim Brotherhood sparred with the ruling military over what it sees as a power grab. Hundreds of Brotherhood supporters spent the night in Tahrir Square, having vowed to stay until the results of the election — which pits their candidate Mohamed Mursi against ousted president Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq — are published. “Mursi, Mursi, God is the Greatest,” the protesters chanted, in anticipation of a victory for their candidate, who says he won according to tallies provided by electoral officials. The head of the election commission said official results from the disputed presidential run-off vote will be released 1300 GMT Sunday. The delay in the announcement of the June 16-17 run-off, initially scheduled for Thursday, has raised suspicions that the outcome of the election is being negotiated not counted. As the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and the Brotherhood clashed publicly over recent measures that consolidated the army's power, privately they have been engaged in talks, sources said. Liberal political parties say the US is trying to sway poll results and they want Washington to stop. The liberal parties also accused the Muslim Brotherhood of “hijacking” the revolution. The liberal parties accused the United States of putting pressure on the ruling military council to hand power to the Brotherhood. The ruling military council seems in no mood to hand over power to the elected president and on Friday warned it would deal “with utmost firmness and strength” with any attempts to harm public interests. The Brotherhood also warned against tampering with the election results but said it had no intention of instigating violence. The Brotherhood rejects a constitutional declaration by the military which strips away any gains made by the Islamist group since the uprising which overthrew Mubarak in February last year. The standoff comes amid a blizzard of conflicting reports over who will be declared winner or when the results will be announced. – Agencies
