CAIRO: Egypt's former deputy of Egyptian Intelligence Agency (EIA) Hossam Khairallah announced his nomination for president on Monday evening at a press conference in Cairo. Khairallah comes from a military background, yet he denied he is the candidate of the military, which many believe will field their own candidate in a possible election next year. He affirmed he supports the idea of a civil state and said he is not worried about the rise of political Islam in the country. He said that his program would be built on human rights values and “respecting freedom and people's dignity.” Khairallah said he does not belong to a political party or is affiliated with any groups and expressed his willingness to have dialogue with Islamic powers, asking the Egyptian people to give them more time as they “are growing with time.” A graduate of the military academy in 1964, Khairalla worked in the army until 1976 and later joined the information and estimation department at the EIA until he reached the deputy position. According to the state-run al-Ahram newspaper, he participated in the Yemen war and the 1973 war against Israel and was granted a medal of honor for his work during the war. The intelligence agency enjoyed a notorious reputation during the last 50 years and is held accountable by many for the disappearance of hundreds of activists. Many never returned home. Tapping phones, kidnapping and writing reports on thinkers and politicians and artists were common practice. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/rZXtB Tags: Candidate, Hossam Khairallah, Intelligence, President Section: Egypt, Latest News
