This story continues to evolve, and there seems to be no particular sense of urgency from within the government to try and stop it. No, authorities are going for easy targets like stripping and stomping on women in the street and subjecting them to “virginity tests.”
Tasers, of course, are not without risks, especially if improperly used. They are all too likely to be deliberately misused here, and if this is allowed to go forward, people will be tortured, and people will die. “Islamist ‘Morality Police’ to train volunteers in using electric batons,” from Al Ahram Online, January 12:
The self-proclaimed Islamist “Morality Police” announced on its new official Facebook page that it has acquired 1,000 tazers to be distributed to volunteers who will promote “virtue” and combat “vice” in the Egyptian street.
The “Morality Police”, which models itself on a similar group in Saudi Arabia that monitors citizens social behaviour, added in its announcement that these electric shocks batons will help in self-defence against any possible attacks on volunteers, adding that volunteers would be instructed to use the tazers only in “extremely necessary” situations.
Baloney.
The Facebook page announced that the first field training session for volunteers will be on Thursday evening in El-Mandara neighbourhood in Alexandria.
Meanwhile, Suez Port authorities announced last week that they foiled an attempt to smuggle in 1,000 tazers while it was not clear who the shipment was intended to reach.
Islamist and organised Salafist forces such as the Nour Party have distanced themselves from the “Morality Police” group, which has so far only operated in cyberspace.