Egypt Protests Continue as Military Warns Crisis Must End

Protesters demanding the formation of an interim civilian government gathered in central Cairo Sunday, as Egypt's military ruler warned of "extremely grave" consequences if the country's current political turmoil does not end quickly.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi also said the ruling military council "will not allow troublemakers to meddle" in a parliamentary vote scheduled to begin Monday.

He said the country is at a crossroads and can choose either successful elections "leading Egypt towards safety" or face dangerous hurdles that the armed forces "will not allow."

Tantawi's warning came as thousands of demonstrators were filling Cairo's Tahrir Square for another massive protest pushing Egypt's military to immediately cede power to a "national salvation government" that would run the country until a president is elected.

A number of the revolutionary youth groups leading the protests have proposed that opposition leader and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei head an interim civilian administration with deputies from across the political spectrum. The proposed body would replace the ruling military council in supervising Egypt's transition to democracy.

ElBaradei said Saturday he would abandon his bid for Egypt's presidency if formally asked to lead such a government.

The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces held talks Saturday with ElBaradei and another presidential hopeful, former Arab League chief Amr Moussa. Both said only that they discussed ways to end the current crisis.

The meetings came as nearly 10,000 people packed central Cairo to continue protests against Egypt's interim military rulers and the appointment of caretaker Prime Minister Kamal el-Ganzouri, a bureaucrat seen as serving the military council.

Security forces fired tear gas at stone-throwing demonstrators.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the violence Saturday and urged Egypt to maintain the rule of law.

The vote due to begin Monday is the first since massive street protests forced former President Hosni Mubarak to resign in February. The outcome is likely to be viewed as suspect given the growing unrest and the suspension of many candidates' campaigns in solidarity with the protesters.

The complex, staggered polls to parliament's lower house conclude in early January. Elections for the upper house end in March.

Separately, three American students arrested during the current wave of protests arrived home in the United States Saturday; three days after an Egyptian court ordered their release.

Derrick Sweeney, Luke Gates and Gregory Porter attended the American University in Cairo and were arrested Sunday on the roof of a building near Tahrir Square. Officials accused them of throwing firebombs at security forces who were fighting protesters. ---VOA News