20110305
reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's new prime minister told thousands of demonstrators in Tahrir Square on Friday he was committed to the goals of their revolution and promised to take to the streets in protest if he could not deliver.

Egypt's military rulers designated Essam Sharaf prime minister on Thursday, meeting demands for the removal of Ahmed Shafiq in a step seen as an attempt to soak up anger that has fuelled protests since President Hosni Mubarak stepped down.

Mubarak, toppled on February 11 by a wave of mass demonstrations, appointed Shafiq in his last weeks in the presidency. The military council to which Mubarak handed power is now charting Egypt's course towards elections.

But the army faces internal security problems due to lingering suspicions of the state security police -- a branch of the police force infamous for abuses.

On Friday night some 200 protesters stormed state security headquarters in the city of Alexandria, gaining control of its lower floors and driving police officers to hide further up.

Witnesses said four officers had suffered facial injuries.

Earlier in the evening, witnesses said protesters had thrown petrol bombs at police, who fired live rounds, critically wounding a 26-year-old protester in the chest.

The official news agency quoted an unnamed security source as denying that live rounds had been fired, or that anyone had been injured or killed.