Muslim Brotherhood marks Oct. 6 War date with anti-military revolt. Gunmen attack Egyptian soldiers

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report October 5, 2013, 11:06 AM (IDT)

Tags:  Egyptian mililtary,  Muslim Brotherhood,  demonstrations,

Egyptian soldiers break up MB demonstration

Four people were killed and dozens injured Friday and Saturday when pro-Muslim Brotherhood supporters clashed with opponents and security forces in Cairo, Alexandria, Assiut and other Egyptian towns. In Cairo, gunfire from armored vehicles and tear gas were used to seal off the emblematic Tahrir Square against crowds rallied by the Brotherhood for the “Great Counter-Coup” to be launched on Oct. 6, the 40th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war on Israel. During the week, unidentified gunmen attacked two military targets and killed five Egyptian soldiers.

The Brotherhood’s first major nationwide push to reverse the July 3 coup, which deposed Brotherhood President Mohamad Morsi, rests on five overt tactics, revealed here exclusively by debkafile’s Middle East intelligence sources:

1. Millions of Egyptians across Egypt have received orders through secret channels of communications, including mosques and religious seminaries, to surprise the authorities with a sudden mass surge onto the streets on the appointed day, Sunday.

2. The focus for now is on outlying rural towns and villages – some with populations of a million or more - where army uniforms are thin on the ground. Unaided by the military, Egypt’s internal security troops are barely up to scratch and, in small places, local police forces are mostly under the thumbs of Muslim Brotherhood bosses.

3.  The Islamists chose October 6 for a display of people power because it marks the day when a Muslim army marched across the Suez Canal and confronted Israel for the recovery of Sinai. Their slogans and chants will contrast the Egyptian army of 40 years ago, when Muslim soldiers fought the infidel army, and the Egyptian army of today, which they accuse of fighting its own people.

4. Muslim Brotherhood organs and activities have been decentralized. Up until now, every protest and slogan required the approval of the central leadership in Cairo. For the coming campaign, authority has been devolved on local headquarters in cities, towns and villages.

Each is mandated to enlist manpower, compose motifs for the rallies, dictate the content of speeches and write slogans in tune with local conditions. This gives the local activists exceptional license. They have the further advantage of their identities being unknown to the security and intelligence agencies and are so able to perform without fear of arrest.

This stratagem was borrowed from the Tamarod movement, which rose up against President Morsi six months ago. Although it had no identified leaders, this popular movement was able to draw masses to Cairo for a grassroots campaign which finally toppled the Brotherhood president.

Brotherhood strategists are counting on the October 6 rallies starting a blazing uprising of many millions of its adherents across the country.  First, these torch carriers will wrest control of outlying locations from the security forces; then, the Brotherhood will move onto the next stage of its counter-coup and fight to displace military and security authority in the big cities.