Harsh Egyptian law draws US flak

The White House has expressed disappointment in Egypt's decision to extend an emergency law for two years and wants it replaced with a counter-terrorism measure that would protect Egyptian civil liberties.

The 1981 law gives police broad powers to arrest people and to hold them indefinitely without charge.

Egypt has said it would only use the law in terrorism and narcotics cases, but human rights activists say it is used to suppress dissent.