Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood to run candidate

CAIRO, March 31 (UPI) -- Despite pledging it would not field a presidential candidate in Egypt's May elections, the Muslim Brotherhood Saturday named a nominee.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which once was outlawed in Egypt, nominated its deputy, Khairat al-Shatir, the group's main financier, to run for the presidency on a 56-52 vote, Ahram Online said.

Al-Shatir was imprisoned under President Hosni Mubarak's regime for 12 years because of his membership in the Muslim Brotherhood and was released after the spring 2011 uprising that led to Mubarak's ouster, the BBC said.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which won a majority in the newly elected Egyptian Parliament, said in a statement it decided to enter a candidate in the presidential election to help the country transition from military to civilian rule.