Egypt: Morsi supporters, opponents clash, 1 dead

       
Security and hospital officials said clashes between supporters and opponents of Egypt's Islamist president have killed at least one person and injured scores.            

The violence in the coastal city of Masoura, north of Cairo, began Wednesday when opponents of President Mohammed Morsi pelted his supporters with garbage as they gathered outside a mosque to stage a march to back the president.              

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.                

Clashes between the two sides have grown in frequency over the past few days during the buildup for June 30 protests by the opposition to try to force Morsi out.      
        
Morsi, who completes his first year in office June 30, was due to address the nation later on Wednesday.         

Earlier, Egypt's military brought in reinforcements of troops and armor to bases near Egyptian cities ahead of June 30 protests.             

This comes amid heavy speculation over the army's role in the upcoming crisis. The presidency says that the military has been coordinating closely with Morsi's government in the run-up to the protests, but activists say they are looking to the army for protection from hard-line government supporters.               

Some Islamists accuse activists of paving the ground for a coup, a charge that the opposition vehemently denies.                 

The officials said the deployments are restricted to the outskirts of major cities and inside existing military facilities. In Cairo, the focus of Sunday's protests, the extra troops went to major bases to the east and west of the city of some 18 million people.                

The protests mark President Mohammed Morsi's first year in office.                   

On Sunday, army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who is also defense minister, gave Morsi and the opposition a week to reach an understanding to prevent bloodshed. There has been no sign of compromise by either side.                    

El-Sissi also warned the military would intervene to stop the nation from entering a "dark tunnel." Appointed by Morsi last August, he also gave a thinly veiled warning to Morsi's backers that the military will step in if the protesters are attacked during the planned protests, as some hard-liners have threatened.  


AP/LBCI