Rise of Egypt's youth anarchist groups inevitable, dangerous: analysts

CAIRO (Xinhua) - The emergence of youth violent groups, and possibly their rising frequency on camera, are likely to create more social troubles and further hinder Egypt's way back to stability, analysts said.

The Black Bloc, a new anarchist group, along with other undeclared Egypt's youth groups, are getting addicted to vandalism to express their opinions, press the government to respond to their demands, while claiming that they are protecting protesters against the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and security forces' oppressing practices.

"Violence VS violence," the Black Bloc wrote on its Facebook page. The group made its first appearance in the second anniversary of the Jan. 25, 2011 "revolution," by setting ablaze four buses belonging to the MB near the iconic Tahrir Square in the capital Cairo.

Masked and dressed in black from head to toe, members of the bloc resort to the "blackism" ideology based on chaotic and anarchic actions, said Samir Ghatas, chief of Cairo-based Maqdes Center for Political Studies.

As the expert puts it, two main reasons contribute to their emergence: first of all, the blurry political prospect in Egypt makes merely demonstrations unable to meet citizens' aspirations. "Violence is the key for youth who believed using peaceful political methods to make political change is no longer working," he said.

The second factor is the security forces' violent acts against the political activists, either by assassination or torture - as some people claimed, as well as the involvement of the civil MB members with the security forces during harsh investigations with protesters, said Ghatas.

On their Twitter page, the Black Bloc claimed responsibility for setting fire to police stations in Alexandria and Gharbiya governances and destroying the front walls of the security building in Beheira during "Checkmate" Friday, stating that they would target the presidential palace at Hada'eq al-Qubba in Cairo in different marches on Saturday evening.

For the anarchic acts, officials and state media depict them as conspiratorial saboteurs, but the opposition holds that the authorities are using the group as a scapegoat to justify a crackdown.

"Black Bloc or Ultras or other existed undeclared groups are not seeking political fruits, they are rejecting all state institutions, demanding revenge for their fellows and fight against fascist tyrants, the MB and their military wing," Ghatas said.

They even oppose the opposition Front for signing "Azhar document" which bans protesters from using violence, a tactic they claimed very basic in face of aggressive security acts.

The Black Bloc appeared to "defend" the protesters and " continue the revolution," describing themselves as "armor and sword" of the revolters, according to their statement. They also said that Sharia "Islamic rules" which the MB and the Salafists have asked to strictly apply, is a method for organizing life and spread freedom.

As for Mamdouh Attyah, a strategic expert, the youth groups are not merely "groups or pages on the internet," they are resisting the administration by resorting to violence to "protect the citizens' rights" in reality.

Attyah said although its members are enjoying enthusiastic youth soul, they lack the weapons and funding that might help in building groups with organizational structure or militias.

He went on to attribute the shaping of such youth "pressures groups" to the tense political conditions, the lack of trust, and poor employment.

"Those groups are dangerous because their actions, numbers, tactics are not predicted," Attyah warned.

"The evolution of youth groups has become inevitable," Sameh Seif Al Yazal, a strategic and security expert said.

Such groups are aspired by those who had lost their confidence both in the rulers of the country and the opposition movement who pursues solely individual benefits, he said, adding "These groups, whether Black Bloc or Ultras, are hard to be underestimated as one of the most important factors for the political work in Egypt."