Egyptians besiege Mubarak palace

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Cairo - Egyptians gathered outside President Hosni Mubarak's palace on Friday to call for his removal from power, the army did not try to stop them and one demonstrator said they planned to take over the building. “Down, down Hosni Mubarak,” chanted the protesters, who numbered a few dozen. A Reuters witness said a sign carrying the same message had been attached to barbed wire that was blocking one of the entrances to the palace. At least six armoured vehicles, including three tanks, were stationed around the building. A member of one of the youth movements which called for the protests that erupted on January 25 said the demonstrators would “take over the palace”. “We'll have masses of Egyptians after Friday prayers to take it over,” said Ahmed Farouk, 27. “The army has been neutral and did not harm any of us.”

Protesters had walked to the presidential palace in the Heliopolis suburb of Cairo on Thursday after Mubarak said he had handed presidential powers to his deputy, Vice President Omar Suleiman, among other steps that did not meet their demands.

“We will march to the palace and oust Mubarak, and we know the world is on our side,” said Nurhaan Ismael, a protester, 34.

“The army is relaxed at the moment. They put barbed wire all around (the entrances) but they know the will of the people will topple anything,” Ismael told Reuters.

Elsewhere

clashes took place between police and unidentified gunmen in Rafah, a town near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip, witnesses said on Friday.

Some people were ready to fire bullets in the air to celebrate Mubarak's resignation, as was expected late on Thursday. Gunmen later attacked the police station after they were angered when he only shifted his powers to his deputy, Omar Suleiman, witnesses added. The gunmen also fired rocket-propelled grenades in the attack. - Reuters, Sapa-dpa