Fouad Badrawy, Wafd Party Secretary General, argued that“military college rules and regulations state that allegiance is only to the homeland, and not to some partisan or political institution,” adding that “the army is the nation’s protective shield, and must remain independent from politics.”
Military Academy Director Gen. Esmat Mourad questioned why the Army should “reject a student because his father or uncle belongs to the Brotherhood,” if the recruit “meets the scientific and physical criteria.”
Armed Forces spokesperson Col. Ahmed Ali added that “we are all Egyptians…what matters is their loyalty; the army cannot discriminate between members of the same nation as long as they serve their country.”
Ali made clear that students could not belong to any outside groups while serving, saying that “if there is any proof a student belongs to [a religious or political] group he will lose his right to join the academy.” Speaking to any charges of nepotism, Mourad promised to “deal with [Morsi’s nephew] as a student and not as the president’s nephew.”
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Sources:
“Military Academy admits students from Brotherhood families,” Daily News Egypt (English), 3/18/13.
“Opposition outraged as Military Academy accepts Brotherhood recruits,” Egypt Independent (English), 3/18/13.
“Politicians demanding investigation over Morsi’s nephew being accepted into Military Academy,” Al-Watan (Arabic), 3/19/13.