Voices From Egypt

“It was more honorable for us to die than to have the people of Egypt terrorized or threatened.” –Gen. Abdul Fattah el-Sisi on a military-affiliated Facebook page early on Wednesday in a posting titled “Final hours.”

“No coup against legitimacy of any kind will pass except over our dead bodies.” –Senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed el-Beltagy said at a rally in Egypt

“God willing, there will be no Muslim Brother left in the country today. Let them get exiled or find rocks to hide underneath like they used to do, or go to prisons, it doesn’t matter. No such a thing as ‘an Islamist party’ shall exist after today.” –Mohamed Saleh, 52, an Egyptian laborer armed with long shaft of timber labeled “martyr in the making.”

“If the opposition really has the ability to bring out millions of protesters and collect millions of signatures, why can’t they get all of those people to vote in elections?” –Tamer Abdel-Maqsoud, a Muslim Brotherhood protester in Egypt in reaction to the tamarrod campaign

"How long has Mohamed Morsi ruled? One year. Is one year enough to solve the problems of 60 years? That’s impossible." –Qatar-based Muslim cleric Sheikh Youssef Qaradawi said while visiting Cairo

"The price of preserving legitimacy is my life. Legitimacy is the only guarantee to preserve the country." –Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi just prior to his ouster

“There is so much tension between people over what is going on. It is like seeing gas next to a fire, but you’re not sure who will set it alight.” –Mohammed Ali, a film director who has accelerated his production schedule because of the protests in Egypt

“Under Mubarak, we knew that people were stealing, but we never had crises like this. It is all because the guy driving the country now doesn’t know how to drive.” –Khalid Shaaban, 35, in reaction to fuel shortages in Egypt just prior to the coup

“We swear to God that we will sacrifice even our blood for Egypt and its people, to defend them against any terrorist, radical or fool.” –Egyptian armed forces said on a military-affiliated Facebook page early on Wednesday in a posting titled “Final hours.”

“Everyone was telling us that we don’t trust this party or that party. We trust only you.” –Mahmoud Badr, one of the five organizers of the tamarrod campaign