Issue No. 593
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4 - 10 July 2002 Issue No. 593 Home news |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Recommend this page | ||
Maadi Library opens
ON SUNDAY, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak opened the Maadi Public Library and attended a cultural celebration along with a host of ministers, ambassadors and public figures to mark the event.
The library was built in 1991 by the Integrated Care Society, which Mrs Mubarak heads. However, as the population of Maadi grew and its immediate vicinity expanded, the library became too small to cater to public needs. It was then decided to build a state-of-the-art public library offering a wide array of cultural services to the area's residents.
Built on a 4,200 square metre plot of land, the building is three floors high and houses a number of reading halls, a periodicals room, audio, video and laser disc halls, computer training rooms, an Internet café and a theatre.
The library currently has 60,000 books, periodicals, videos and discs on offer, and the number is expected to increase to 200,000 in the next five years.
In a statement, Mrs Mubarak highlighted the vital role played by public libraries in spreading culture and knowledge among members of Egyptian families of all age groups, especially in an age in which modern information technology methods are being used throughout the world.
Air defence
EGYPT'S air defence units are being comprehensively reviewed in a process aimed at strengthening their ability to counter advanced enemy systems, reports Amira Ibrahim.
In his first press conference since he took office a year ago, Air Defence Commander Lt Gen Sami Annan told reporters that the majority of both Eastern and Western-built units had been modified to meet the needs of Egypt's national security.
"Possessing a modernised and well-equipped air defence unit enables our forces to protect the country's vital and strategic targets during times of war and peace. Any potential threat does not worry us," he added.
Annan said the Egyptian air defence forces were equipped with advanced radar systems, air sight-surveillance units and anti-missile batteries.
"The modernisation of air defence units is based on two elements: upgrading spare parts of old weapons and replacing other parts using advanced technology," Annan said.
According to Annan, the Egyptian air defence forces have succeeded in upgrading old units. "Some Eastern-made missiles used during the War of Attrition and in 1973 are still in service and are in perfect condition. They are more efficient than their successors and are capable of dealing with today's jet fighters."
Asked if modernisation plans included providing advanced AWACS, Annan said, "In light of the exorbitant costs of AWACS, it is not on our agenda. Alternatively, the E2-C plane provides a suitable alert system against air targets flying at low altitude that cannot be detected by ground radar."
Among the most modern air defence equipment, added Annan, are the two- and three- dimension radar systems, anti-air attack missile systems and automatic control and command units. "Upgrading and modernisation have been carried out by Egyptian engineers in cooperation with experts from friendly foreign countries," he said.
Egypt's air defence forces were established in 1968 following the 1967 War in which the performance of anti-warplane artillery was poor. A major task for the newly-established force was to construct a missile wall that would stop Israeli jet fighters from flying freely over the Western bank of the Suez Canal.
Despite heavy Israeli air raids, the wall was completed on 30 June 1970.
New trial date
THE SUPREME Military Court on Sunday postponed the trial of 94 suspected militants accused of plotting to assassinate top officials and trying to smuggle weapons to a militant Palestinian group.
The court agreed to postpone the trial until 14 July to give more time to the defence to present its case after one defendant, who is being tried in absentia, was arrested in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan and handed over to Egypt.
Nearly all the defendants were arrested a year ago and were accused of forming a previously unknown group, Al-Wa'd, or The Promise. Among the 94 defendants, five are being tried in absentia. The Supreme Military Court was to have passed sentence in mid-April but adjourned twice. No reason for the adjournments were given. However, after the arrest of the Egyptian defendant in Azerbaijan, the judge agreed to reopen the case to allow the defence to make its case.
The accused also include three men from the Russian republic of Dagestan, a Yemeni, a dual US-Egyptian national and holders of German and Dutch passports.
Win for normalisation
THE ADMINISTRATIVE Court has reinstated the membership of playwright Ali Salem who was dismissed from the Writers Union last year. However, the union's chairman told Mona El- Nahhas that it intends to contest the verdict.
On 27 July, the Administrative Court decided that Salem's membership in the union be reinstated, saying the union's decision in May 2001 to expel him for promoting peace with Israel was illegal. "The expulsion was made without Salem being questioned as the regulations of the union stipulate," the court said.
However, Farouk Khorshed, chairman of the Writers Union, said it abided with the rules when it dismissed Salem. "He was summoned to attend a disciplinary committee and was asked more than once to cut all contacts with Israel. He preferred not to attend and continued normalisation activities with Israel in total disregard of majority decisions of the union's general assembly taken in 1995."
Salem was relieved by the court order. "I am very happy with the verdict which I consider a victory for logic and intellect over rash behaviour," he told Al-Ahram Weekly .
The union said it will continue the legal battle against Salem and will contest the verdict before a higher court. "Because the Supreme Administrative Court ruled in his favour, we have no choice but to implement its ruling," Khorshed said. "But if Salem does not stop his normalisation activities, we will have the right to expel him again. If he wants to file a new lawsuit, it's up to him."
Salem, who has been strongly criticised at home following a visit to Israel in 1994, still calls for peace with Israel. "Under the current deteriorating situation, peace appears the only reasonable choice," said Salem, whose views differ widely with the majority of Egyptian intellectuals.
Compiled by Shaden Shehab
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