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Egypt to defend citizens after World Cup defeat

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Egypt to defend citizens after World Cup defeat

Mubarak comments on his nation's football spat with Algeria

Egypt to defend citizens after World Cup defeat


Alaa (R) and Gamal Mubarak attend the 2010 World Cup qualifier play-offs between Egypt and Algeria in Sudan

CAIRO (Agencies)

Egypt will not allow its citizens living abroad to be humiliated, President Hosni Mubarak said in an address to parliament on Saturday, in an apparent reference to a spat with Algeria over a World Cup qualifier.

"We do not allow anyone to humiliate them (citizens abroad)," Mubarak said to applause from the assembly.

"Clearly, the dignity of the Egyptian people is the dignity of Egypt," Mubarak said as at least two parliamentarians waved national flags. "And Egypt will not take it lightly when it comes to honouring the dignity of its people."

" Clearly, the dignity of the Egyptian people is the dignity of Egypt.And Egypt will not take it lightly when it comes to honouring the dignity of its people "

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak

The row has erupted between Algeria and Egypt since a bus carrying the Algerian football team was stoned in Cairo last week and Egyptians were attacked by Algerian fans in Khartoum and Algiers.

Egypt twice summoned the Algerian ambassador in Cairo and on Thursday recalled its envoy in Algiers.

Egypt beat Algeria 2-0, leading to a play-off in Khartoum for a place at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Busses carrying Algerian fans were stoned after the Cairo match and fans clashed outside hotels housing the Algerians, leaving at least 20 Algerian fans and 12 Egyptians wounded.

The attack led to reprisals in Algeria against Egyptian homes and businesses.

Protesters in Algiers attacked 15 offices of a local subsidiary of Egypt's Orascom Telecom, prompting the firm to evacuate its 25 Egyptian employees and their families, and twice ransacked the Algiers offices of EgyptAir.

" There appears to be something strange in the composition of Algeria -- it has spite and malice towards Egypt "

Mubarak\\\'s elder son Alaa

After the play-off in Khartoum on Wednesday, won by Algeria, Algerian fans reportedly attacked busses carrying Egyptians who were heading to Khartoum airport for the return home.

The media of both countries have traded invective and circulated rumors of Egyptian and Algerian deaths despite denials by both governments.

In a rare public statement, Mubarak's elder son Alaa who was at the Khartoum game slammed the Algerian fans as "mercenaries" and said the Egyptian team had faced "terror" in Khartoum.

"There appears to be something strange in the composition of Algeria -- it has spite and malice towards Egypt," he was quoted by state news agency MENA as telling a television sports program.

Reports of the attacks in Khartoum, which Egyptian Health Minister Hatem el-Gabali said lightly wounded 21 fans, enraged Egyptians.

An angry protest early on Friday outside the Algerian embassy resulted in clashes between demonstrators and riot police protecting the mission, leaving 35 policemen injured.

Algiers on Friday summoned Egypt's ambassador to protest at attacks on Algeria by the Egyptian media, APS news agency reported.