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Egypt's Islamists see Gamal president
 The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest opposition group, has said he expects President Hosni Mubarak's son Gamal to become Egypt's leader, but not just yet. Muhammad Mahdi Akef said on Tuesday he expects parliament, dominated by the ruling party, to nominate 76-year-old Mubarak in May for a fifth six-year presidential term, which the Brotherhood and other opposition groups oppose. Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt since 1981, has strongly hinted but not confirmed that he will seek the fifth term. The candidate parliament picked for the post is put to a public referendum in September. Egyptians expect Mubarak to stand again, mainly because he has no obvious successor. Akef said: "President Husni Mubarak grasps all the matters of state in his own hand - executive, judicial or legislative. We are in a police state governed by one man."Gamal Mubarak has become a prominent figure in the ruling party, but observers say he has yet to build up enough support to bid for the presidency. Mubarak has dismissed the idea he would hand power to his son. But Gamal could pursue the presidency through constitutional means. "When they want to bring (Gamal), they will bring him," Akef said. "All the while there is emergency law, all the while there is the political parties law, all the while there are political prisoners ... they can do anything." "Don't forget that we are a state which is almost a police state. Everything is in the hands of security," he added. Egypt's emergency laws allow the state to detain suspects without charge and political parties must be licensed by a committee dominated by the ruling party. Posted by: Fred 2005-01-19 |
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