CAIRO: Egypt's leading presidential hopeful Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh was reportedly injured when a car he was riding in was attacked by gunmen on the edges of Cairo, his campaign said on Friday. Masked gunmen hit Aboul Fotouh over the head with a machine gun while he was heading back to Cairo late Thursday evening after a conference in Shebeen al-Koum, a town some 80 kilometers northwest of the Egyptian capital. He was transferred to hospital along with his driver, who was also injured. It was not clear whether the attack was a political hit or a robbery. The continued security vacuum in Egypt remains a concern since the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak in February last year, as crime has been increasing dramatically in recent months. Worries are that increased violence ahead of a presidential vote, scheduled for June, could threaten to derail the transition to civilian rule. Aboul Fotouh, a former top leader with the Muslim Brotherhood, was booted from the group after he announced his candidacy for Egypt's top job. He is a unifying figure who has been successful in garnering the support of both liberals and conservatives alike in the country. Most analysts believe he has the best chance at winning the vote, with his Islamist yet democratic and tolerant leanings. The nomination process begins on March 10. BM
