The Salafist Nour Party "has its concerns" about President Mohamed Morsi's Sunday night declaration of a state of emergency in Egypt's canal cities, party spokesman Nader Bakkar said in a Monday statement.
However, Bakkar said the party "understands the need for such a decision," adding that "the state of emergency should be used in the narrowest limits against those carrying illegal arms and terrorizing other citizens."
On Sunday, Morsi declared a 30-day state of emergency in Port Said, Suez and Ismailia. The three cities have seen deadly clashes – in which at least 50 people have been killed – since the second anniversary on Friday of Egypt's January 25 Revolution.
Bakkar went on to commend the president for thanking the police, who, he said, had "succeeded in protecting people's lives and securing the Port Said prison."
Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya also announced its support for Morsi's decision to declare a state of emergency in Egypt's canal cities.
"The decision was necessary to confront violence and random attacks against the citizenry, public institutions and state property," the group said in a Monday statement. The group added that the promotion of chaos by certain groups was "unacceptable."
Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya's political arm, the Construction and Development Party, also welcomed the president's invitation to opposition forces to enter into a national dialogue.
