Extremists could exploit Egypt crisis: US lawmakers

As the political unrest deepened in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak refusing to step down, top US lawmakers expressed concern that the crisis could now be exploited by extremist and violent elements.

"I fully support the peaceful aspirations of the Egyptian people, and I am very concerned that every day their demands go unmet, the possibility only grows that this hopeful call for change could be exploited by extremist or violent elements," Senator John McCain said.

In a statement, McCain said Mubarak's announcement that he will remain in power was "deeply unfortunate and troubling."

"I think he tried to split the baby, and that doesn't work. I am afraid now that the situation may approach much more of a crisis than it has been, already a serous crisis,"

"I think it has been ratcheted up dramatically, and I think that the United States had better be more clear in our message to President Mubarak that we are very serious in our message that he needs to step down," McCain told the Fox News in an interview.

He said the voices of the Egyptian people were growing louder and more unified, and they are not demanding partial transfers of power or minor adjustments to the current government.

"They are calling for President Mubarak to step down as the beginning of a meaningful and enduring transition to democracy in Egypt," he said.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckbee agreed with McCain that Mubarak should resign but said that such a thing should not be said in public.

"I would agree with him (McCain) except to the point that publicly calling for Hosni Mubarak stepping down immediately is probably not going to help the situation.

"I am convinced that one of the reasons Mubarak is standing tall, or standing firm, standing stubbornly, maybe is a proper way to look at it…is because of us. We put him in the impossible situation of not being able to save face," he told the Fox News.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Committee said, "I am concerned that Mubarak's insistence in continuing to control all political activity in Egypt, rather than providing for stability, may enable the Muslim Brotherhood to manipulate Egyptian frustration to gain greater influence.

"I hope the Egyptian people will not allow themselves to become pawns of extremists."

She said that US must send a clear and unequivocal message of support to those "freedom-loving" Egyptians who renounce violence, who are committed to democratic governance, and who are committed to peace and security with all of its neighbours, including Israel.

"The US must be clear that we will not engage the Muslim Brotherhood, nor will we give support to a government that includes them," she added.