Newly elected members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) opposition movement's authoritative Guidance Bureau swore fealty to the group's General Guide, Mahdi Akef, at a meeting Tuesday. According to new bureau member Ossama Nasr Eddin, the meeting was convened to resolve outstanding differences among group members and establish "a new modus operandi" aimed at preserving the group's unity. The meeting was also held to assign tasks to the group's internal departments and appoint a group spokesman until a new general guide is elected and appoints his deputies. According to sources within the group, MB Secretary-General Mahmoud Ezzat currently enjoys an 85 percent chance of winning upcoming elections for general guide, followed by Mohamed Badie. "The announcement of a new guide has been delayed until the group can discuss the matter with its consultative shura councils abroad," Badie explained. Sources went on to say that the name of the new general guide, or murshid, would be announced within two days at the most. Translated from the Arabic edition.
