Hundreds of Islamists gathered Friday in Cairo for a mass protest against planned constitutional amendments that would establish a civil state in the predominantly Muslim country and give the army the right to veto legislation on military issues, dpa reported.
The rally in the capital's iconic Tahrir Square is led by the influential Muslim Brotherhood. But it is also attracting other groups who want the country's military rulers to set a clear timetable for handing power over to a civilian administration.
Several other groups, among them the key liberal Al-Wafd party, plan to boycott the protest, arguing it is ill-timed.
"This protest is meant as a show of strength ahead of the parliamentary elections," said the head of Al-Wafd, al-Sayyed al-Badawi.
Egyptians are to go to polls on November 28 to elect a new parliament.
The three-round elections will be Egypt's first since a popular revolt unseated former president Hosny Mubarak in February.