CAIRO: Egypt's Higher Presidential Elections Commission (HPEC) announced on Wednesday the basis of its rejection of the appeals made by the 10 candidates whom, have been disqualified in the upcoming presidential race. The HPEC said it has checked documents of the excluded candidates in full neutrality during the past two days and found nothing new in the appeals that would require them to re-examine their decision. In the meantime, disqualified candidate Khairat Shater said the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) is not sincerely seeking to transfer power to an elected civil authority. He also called for dismissing the HPEC chairman Counselor Farouq Sultan. Reports said that consultations are underway among Islamic powers to reach an agreement on one candidate for representing the Islamic interests. The HPEC asserted that it was assured that the mother of disqualified presidential candidate Sheikh Hazem Abu Ismail had obtained US citizenship, as it had received on April 12 a certificate from the US State Department confirming this to be true. The HPEC also said that the Foreign Ministry had obtained the voting card of Abu Ismail's mother, which further confirms that she was a US national. The HPEC said it has informed Abu Ismail and relevant Salafist leaders of the documents in its possession. The HPEC Secretary General Counselor Hatem Bagato said the HPEC has official letters from the Foreign Ministry.
