Egyptian gov't asks parliament to extend emergency law (2)

Under the proposed resolution, the government would be legally limited to using the authorities for purposes of countering the threats of terrorism and narcotics trafficking.

The authorities granted to the government will be restricted to the arrest of terrorist suspects and drug traffickers, searching people and places suspected of involvement in such crimes and the cancellation of licenses to possess arms or own explosive materials as well as the right to confiscate them.

"The government as it requests an extension of the state of emergency for a duration of two years, commits itself before the representatives of the nation not to utilizing extraordinary measures ... except for confronting the threat of terrorism and narcotics," Nazif said in his address amid heckling of opposition members.

Egypt's Emergency Law has been in force since 1981 following the assassination of late President Anwar Sadat by a group named Egyptian Islamic Jihad which violently opposed a peace treaty with Israel.
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