Egypt army gets temporary power to arrest civilians

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By ReutersCAIRO -- Egypt's government has temporarily given the military the authority to arrest civilians to help safeguard a constitutional referendum planned for Saturday, the official military gazette said.

The order, issued late Sunday, said the military would support police and liaise with them to protect "vital institutions" until the referendum result is declared.

The decree gave army officers the right to make arrests and transfer detainees to prosecutors.

Follow @NBCNewsWorld Echoes of Mubarak era?

Despite its limited nature, the edict will revive memories of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's emergency law, also introduced as a temporary expedient, under which military or state security courts tried thousands of political dissidents and Islamist militants.

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