Egypt's new military rulers tried to reassure protesters they were sincere about politica reform, announcing they were suspending the constitution, dissolving parliament, and setting a six-month target for full elections.
The Supreme Military Council issued "Communique Number 5" granting itself almost unlimited powers and confirming that Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the defence minister, was effective head of state.
But after the army sent shock waves through the remaining protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square by sending in troops to clear them away early Sunday morning, the Council also reasserted that it had seized power only to give it up.
"The Supreme Council will run the affairs of the country on a temporary basis for six months or until the end of parliamentary and presidential elections," it said.
It announced a new constitution would be drawn up and subjected to a referendum. The current constitution, effectively set aside on Friday when Hosni Mubarak's resignation left the country without a president, made it virtually impossible for independent political parties to challenge the ruling National Democratic Party.
The move by the army to retake Tahrir Square began on Saturday night with plain-clothes officials telling demonstrators it was time to go home. Early yesterday morning, military police in distinctive red caps were pulling down tents, moving demonstrators from the roads encircling the square and directing traffic back down them.
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