Potential presidential rival meets Al-Sisi in secret meeting

Egypt’s former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh had a secret meeting with Field Marshal Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi before his trip to Russia, informed sources in Egypt have claimed.

It was claimed that Abou Fotouh justified his meeting with the defence minister who orchestrated the coup against Egypt’s elected President Mohammed Morsi as an effort to “mend fences” between the different factions and “save Egypt from its crisis”. According to the sources, however, the real reason for the meeting was to see whether Al-Sisi really intends to stand in the election, because Aboul Fotouh also wants to be a candidate.

Aboul Fotouh is alleged to have called Al-Sisi “a liar who will be Egypt’s next president through unfair elections”, although the minister claims to be reluctant to run for the presidency.