The head of the constitutional court has been sworn in as Egypt's interim president, a day after the overthrow of the country's first democratically elected leader, Mohamed Morsi.
Adli Mansour took his oath of office under an army transition plan in a ceremony that was broadcast live on state television.
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Lighting the way ahead: Fireworks light the sky as opponents of President Mohammed Morsi celebrate in Tahrir Square after he was ousted from power and an interim president was sworn in. Several people came out on the streets to celebrate what they considered as a step forward to a better future. Pics/AFP
As the ceremony got underway, the skies above Cairo filled with military jets in a series of fly-pasts. Above Tahrir Square, for days the centre of anti-government protests, Air Force planes painted the sky in the colours of the national flag.
“I swear to preserve the system of the republic, and respect the constitution and law, and guard the people’s interests,” Mansour said.
He praised the mass protests demanding the ouster of Morsi, saying they united Egyptians, but also invited the deposed president’s Muslim Brotherhood ‘to take part in the political life’.
The ceremony came after the army removed Morsi, replacing him with Mansour, suspended the Islamist-drafted constitution, and called for new elections.
Morsi, who was elected a year ago, and his Brotherhood allies have blasted the army’s intervention as a full coup by the generals.
The group, which renounced violence decades ago, vowed not to take up arms, according to a senior leader of the group, Mohamed El-Beltagy.
But he warned that the overthrow might push other groups toward violent resistance. This is the ‘second revolution’ -- after Arab Spring uprisings that led to the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
Morsi was being detained by the armed forces at an undisclosed facility, and prosecutors ordered the arrest of the Muslim Brotherhood’s top leader, Mohamed Badie, and his deputy, Khairat el-Shater.
Warrants have been issued for scores of other members of the party too.
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