Hell in Cairo

Algiers- Crowds of excited Egyptian football fans gathered yesterday at the Cairo International Airport, when the Algerian football team landed in a special plane from Algiers.

• The excited fans, excited by football and agitated by misery, attacked with an extreme dislike and an indescribable hatred the group of Algerian fans who came to welcome the national team at the airport. The national press, partly to cover the event of the match that will set the two teams at the Cairo Stadium tomorrow, has been prohibited access to the reception hall of the airport.
  
  The Egyptian fans began chanting anti Algerian slogans and this, in front of police who seemed to be spectators, and who seemed to lack any means to control the situation in case of trouble. The Egyptians who were trying to make us believe in their kindness and their pacifism by their sugary sweet language, proved to be the opposite of what they say or claim to be.
  
  The reality is quite different; Algerian players have been injured, such as Lemouchia, Saïfi, Halliche and Djebour, after the cowardly attacks by supporters of hate and before men supposed to ensure the security of all the people in a place like the airport.
  
  Egyptian supporters get on the bus and attacked the Algerian players
  
  Egyptian supporters have succeeded, we don’t know how, to get inside the bus which was carrying the Algerian selection and attack the Algerian players, like the midfielder Khaled Lemouchia who was hit in the head and transported to hospital’s emergency, in addition to Saïfi, Halliche and Djebour.
  It was hell for Saadane’s kids, prepared by (our brothers) the Egyptian who promised to welcome them with flowers. Our (brothers) who, by this shameful behaviour have shown that things will not be so simple they promised.
  
  About 50 policemen at the airport
  
  The Egyptian authorities are largely responsible for everything that happened and also that may happen later, as for the officers of the order who had no means that can help protect Algerian players and supporters. What can do 50 police in front of crowds of excited and restless supporters?
  
  Algerian supporters escaped massacres; Egyptian fans have exceeded the limits
  
  Algerian supporters were almost lynched by hordes of fanatical Egyptians. Fear reigned after the Egyptian fans began their hostilities. Several Algerian players were injured.
  
  A ychild aged about 13 assaulted by Egyptian police!
  
  Instead of protecting supporters, which is their duty, two Egyptian policemen beat up a child, a young Algerian support of just 13 with a belt, which has provoked the ire of other supporters who could no longer stand to see such a scene. Despite the apology of a police officer, Tariq's father, the ill-treated child, refused the apology and asked them to assume their responsibility.
  
  Canal Plus has filmed the scene and the film will be soon released
  
  The team of Canal Plus, which was on the scene, filmed the traces of wounds on the body of the young “Tarek,” beaten by Egyptian police, before the fury of his father who could not believe what had happened to his son. The film also shows how the Algerian fans and players were attacked by their (brothers) Egyptian, like Lemouchia, Saïfi, Halliche and Djebour.
  
  Algerian supporters: "If we were Jewish, you would not treat us this way"
  
  The anger and disappointment of Algerians were at their peak. They do not expect, first, to be greeted with so much hatred, resentment and violence. They did not expect to be terrorized by thousands of fans. They did not expect too, to be left without any protection from the part of the police. Are we Zionists to deserve such a reception?
  
  Egyptians want to go to the World Cup, even on our bodies!
  
  These serious overruns prove the lower intentions of Egypt for which all means are good to qualify for the World cip South Africa, even the meanest and lowest. This unacceptable behaviour from our (brothers) Egyptian, even threatens relations between the two countries, the information arriving in Algeria do not predict anything good, an atmosphere of anger and disappointment is spreading.
  
  Ennahar / special envoy to Egypt A. Yacine / Echibak