Egypt - cut off from the world - prepares for the big showdown

Internet is completely dead since midnight on Thursday, telephone lines, mobile as well as land lines,  are cut as well in the whole of Egypt. This is the government's preparation for the big demonstration that is foreseen for today, Friday, after the prayers. Usually millions visit the mosques on Friday and millions are expected to take part. On the internet Yesterday a list of about 30 mosques and churches was circulating, where the protests are to start at about 12.00 Egyptian time.  
Last night, just before the internet was cut off, the news on Twitter from trustworthy sources was that government thugs were setting fire to cars and destroying other property, apparently in order for the government to be able to put the blame on the protesters and give it an excuse to apply the harshest measures in coping with the unrest. Also there was news that some 20 leaders of the  Moslim Brotherhood were lifted from their beds, after the MB made an announcement that its memebers were expected to take part in the protests. Rumors have it that al;so other prominent opponents of the regime were arrested. (Between brackets: the announcemnet by the Brotherhood that its memebers will be present in the demonstration is nothing new. The Brotherhood announced much earlier, already before the start of the protests on 25 January, that it backs the uprising. But the MB as such has kept itself on the sidelines of the protests, which is entirely in the hands of the street and what is called 'the internet generation': people who prepared the ground  for these protest via blogs, Facebook and Twitter.)

The protesters Today can expect the most heavy repression yet from a governement that is fighting for its survival. Water cannons, sticks, rubber bullets, tear gas, but live ammunition as well. War scenes like in this second picture - Yesterday taken in Suez - might transpire in Cairo or other places as well.