ChemistryEquipment: Egyptians rally to mark uprising

A defaced image of Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, 17 February

Images of the former president have been defaced

Egyptian pro-democracy leaders have been urging followers to celebrate one week since Hosni Mubarak's fall with a giant march through the capital, Cairo.

Organisers predicted a million people would turn out for a demonstration to "protect the revolution and its demands", as a Twitter message put it.

Correspondents say life is still not back to normal as the interim military government tries to exercise power.

Mr Mubarak resigned last Friday after 30 years in power, bowing to pressure from pro-democracy demonstrators who occupied Cairo's central Tahrir Square for more than two weeks.

Since then, he has been staying with his family in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Anti-corruption campaigners have been pressing prosecutors to open an investigation into the Mubarak family's assets, put at anywhere from $1bn to $70bn.

On Thursday, Egypt's new authorities arrested three of his former cabinet ministers for corruption, including the feared former Interior Minister, Habib el-Adly, and steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, a close Mubarak ally. All four denied any wrongdoing.

Egyptians hooked up to social media have been urged to turn out for Friday's planned march, which is due to begin after lunchtime Muslim prayers.

"We will welcome everyone to the new Egypt," wrote one user, Laila, on Facebook.

"A new country that started in Tahrir Square. A country of unity, peace, freedom and justice for all."

Other groups plan a simultaneous demonstration to "apologise" to Mr Mubarak for the way he was ousted and recognise his achievements in almost 30 years in power, Reuters news agency reports.

Organisers said the Mubarak sympathisers would be wearing black, with the victory marchers in white.

An Islamic website said Egyptian cleric Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, famous for his weekly appearances on al-Jazeera television, might speak in Tahrir Square.

Mr Qaradawi, who arrived at Cairo airport on Thursday, is expected to deliver a sermon telling Egyptians of the importance of their role in building a free and democratic society.

Life in Egypt remains disrupted, with tanks on Cairo streets, banks closed, strikes and closed schools.

The interim government, or Higher Military Council, pledged to "put matters back on track" on Wednesday but called, in return, for Egyptians to help them.

"The armed forces do not have future ambitions and want to hand power to the civilian parties when they are strong so that they don't collapse," spokesman Gen Ismail Etmaan said on state TV.

One opposition leader, the former UN diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei, told the BBC that protesters needed to keep up pressure on the army to deliver reforms.

"I haven't seen any of the demands of the peaceful revolution that took place a couple of weeks ago with millions of people in the street being implemented," he said.

"All what we see is terse military bulletins every few days, saying this is what's going to happen next week, this is what's going to happen the week after. But what is the roadmap? How are we going through the transition, which is crucial to the future - nobody knows."