Christian Science Monitor Validates Shoebat's take on Egyptian elections

Earlier this month, Walid Shoebat and I reported on the eligibility issues that seemed destined to mire the presidential election process in Egypt. We reported that Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Khairat al-Shater and Salafist candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail were both ineligible according to the letter of the law. Al-Shater was ineligible because of his multiple imprisonments and Ismail because his mother was a United States citizen. The Christian Science Monitor is now validating those claims.

Via CSM:

Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, the Salafi, was disqualified because his mother held US citizenship, the state news agency reported, confirming previous reports fiercely denied by the Islamist, who says he is the victim of a plot.

Abu Ismail's lawyer, Nizar Ghorab, told Reuters he expected "a major crisis" in the next few hours.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater was also among those disqualified on Saturday. His spokesman said he would challenge the decision.

Omar Suleiman, Mubarak's intelligence chief and vice president in his last days in power, would also appeal, his spokesman said.

The elimination of three of the top candidates in what is being billed a Egypt's first real presidential vote would redraw the electoral map just a few weeks before the vote gets under way in May. The election is expected to go to a June runoff between the top two candidates.

There had been talk that Ismail might run as al-Shater's running mate, a move not prohibited by the citizenship of Ismail's mother. Shoebat informed me that such a ticket would be very formidable against  former Mubarak Egyptian foreign minister under Mubarak and former Muslim Brotherhood leader Abdul Moneim Abol Fotouh.

In what could be a case of Kabuki theater, Fotouh was expelled from the Muslim Brotherhood last year for announcing his intention to run for the presidency. Despite this, top Brotherhood scholar - Yusuf al-Qaradawi - has endorsed Fotouh. How convenient. The Brotherhood pledged not to run a candidate but the top Muslim Brotherhood guy has endorsed a former Brotherhood member.

Other front-runners include Amr Moussa, a former Arab League secretary-general and Egyptian foreign minister, and Abdul Moneim Abol Fotouh, who was expelled from the Brotherhood last year when he decided to mount his own presidential campaign.

Abu Ismail is the most hard-line of the Islamists running for the post. On Friday, his supporters besieged the headquarters of the election commission, forcing it to evacuate the premises and suspend its work. The building was guarded by security forces with riot shields.

If Ismail running as al-Shater's VP choice made that ticket much stronger, the absence of both men would likely make Fotouh more stronger against amr Moussa.

Additionally, these new developments seem to point to Qaradawi practicing Muruna.

h/t Free Republic