CAIRO: Prominent lawyer and labor activist, Khaled Ali, Egypt`s youngest presidential candidate, announced his official presidential bid on Sunday in the very final hours before the Higher Presidential Elections Committee closed its doors on Sunday afternoon. This was after he managed to collect 33 signatures and recommendations to support his candidacy from members of the Parliament, as stipulated by Egyptian Law for Presidential Elections. After submitting his papers and documents for his candidacy to Higher Committee, Ali stated that Omar Suleiman`s presidential bid is very dangerous to the revolution and will change the political map of Egypt. He called on all other presidential candidates who adopt the principles of the revolution – such as Hamdeen Sabahi, Abdel Moneim Abu Al Fotouh, Bothaina Kamel and Hisham Al Bastawisi – to hold an urgent meeting and coordinate with the youth of the revolution to discuss the implications of the nomination of Omar Suleiman for the presidential race and how to ensure that the presidential elections would be held in a democratic manner and without fraud. He added that he is the candidate of the martyrs and the injured, and would strive to achieve the goals of the revolution and the see the restoration of the rights of its martyrs. Khaled Ali described the former intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman as “Mubarak no. 2 with a dark history,” and accused him as being responsible along with Mubarak for the destruction of Egypt. He also asserted ties with the countries of Africa, led by Ethiopia, and the tensions with the Nile Basin countries have harmed the Palestinian issue in favor of Israel, to help Mubarak to stay in power. MB
