A leading figure in the Salafi Dawah group said Monday that Emad Abdel Ghafour, head of the Salafi Nour Party, and the Salafi preacher Hazem Salah Abu Ismail agreed to form a new political alliance. Sources from the party told Al-Masry Al-Youm Sunday that Abdel Ghafour, spokespeople Yousry Hammad and Mohamed Nour and other party leaders plan to resign Tuesday. Hisham Abul Nasr, head of the Salafi Dawah branch in Giza, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the new alliance will be named “Al-Watan,” and will be headed by Abu Ismail with Abdel Ghafour as his first deputy. Abdel Ghafour and 95 percent of the party youths in greater Cairo are resigning on Tuesday to join the new party, Abul Nasr added. He said the new alliance is negotiating with all Islamist parties and forces to join and face liberal parties in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Ayman Elias of Abu Ismail's campaign said the new party is not responsible for any divisions within the Nour Party. “They were already divided,” he said. Nour Party Vice President Sayed Mostafa said no member of the party's supreme committee expressed his wish to replace Abdel Ghafour. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
