THE political stir triggered by the former chief of the UN nuclear watchdog Mohamed ElBaradei, who has announced plans to lead democratic change in Egypt, has reached the Internet, as supporters of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) began an online battle with the Nobel laureate. "Neither ElBaradei, nor Nour. Gamal is the victor" is the title of a new Facebook group set up by around 400 youths from the ruling party to pave the way for Gamal, the son of President Hosni Mubarak, to run for president. "Once you are leading a battle. You should study the tools of your enemy. We have chosen to confront ElBaradei's campaign by using the same tools as he does: the Internet," Mohamed Amer, one of the group's creators, said. He added that he, like all group members, had never actually seen Gamal Mubarak. "However, it's a matter of trust in his abilities. He has changed many things in the party since his appearance in 2000," Amer said. Respected worldwide, ElBaradei, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, is positioning himself as a force for change in Egypt. ElBaradei has said he would be interested in running for president and has now formed a coalition to press for free and fair elections. ElBaradei, 67, returned to Cairo only days ago and was given a hero's welcome by supporters who see him as the most credible opposition leader to emerge as Egypt prepares for the 2011 presidential vote. The Facebook group supporting Gamal Mubarak has put a photo of him on the site in front of Egypt's flag next to the yellow falcon. Another larger Facebook group with around 821 participants is also pushing Gamal to run for Egypt's top spot in 2011. The group was entitled: “Gamal you are not imagination. You are our real demand”. On the other side, ElBaradei's supporters on the Internet announced in a statement yesterday that they had exceeded one million. "It's great we have changed the way the ruling party perceives the opposition. This is a victory for the opposition and for ElBaradei," Mohamed Adel, one of the online supporters of ElBaradei, said. Another group of EBaradei's fans on Facebook called for a pubic demonstration on March 3 in Talaat Harb Square in central Cairo to show solidarity with the Coalition for Change group formed by the former diplomat and 30 other opposition figures on Tuesday. "All Egyptian classes of society should join us in our demonstration and calls for change. Do not forget March 3, Talaat Harb, but always remember the key word: change," the group wrote in a statement on the Internet. Existing restrictions make it practically impossible for independents to run for presidency in Egypt, meaning that the former diplomat's chances are slim without long-sought constitutional amendments. ElBaradei has kept quiet about his potential plans to join the campaign, saying that he would only do so if he gets guarantees that the elections would be free, fully supervised by the judiciary and monitored by the international community.
