CAIRO: The Muslim Brotherhood's Supreme Guide Mohamed Mahdy Akef denied news reports that he supports the nomination of Gamal Mubarak, the son of incumbent President Hosni Mubarak, as a presidential candidate. On Tuesday, independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that Akef was quoted on ikhwanweb, the Brotherhood s official English language website, as saying that the group supports the nomination of Gamal Mubarak provided that his father steps down first. In the original interview that was published on ikhwanweb on Nov. 27, Akef discussed a variety of issues, among which was the question of the presidency, political reform and succession. Akef said he was indifferent towards the president s successor, explaining that the tyrannical agendas and authoritarian conflicts spare him the intervention. I would have talked about this and intervened if we lived in a country that enjoys freedom and democracy, he was quoted as saying. Akef went on to explain that he believes that Gamal Mubarak has the right to run for elections, and people have the right to choose. However, after the constitutional amendments that tailored articles for him and his ilk, Akef said that should Gamal Mubarak run for president, he should leave his father s palace and [interact] with the public to see what he can do for them. He said that he was against Gamal Mubarak heading the National Democratic Party from the beginning, seeing that it cements tyranny. Mohamed Habib, the Brotherhood s deputy leader, told Daily News Egypt, that he was disappointed with the wrong and misleading information that Al-Masry Al-Youm publishes about the group, adding that the newspaper is adopting an "abnormal news strategy, that is negatively affecting the group s image.
