Egypt puts politician critical of Sisi on terrorism list

CAIRO: An Egyptian court put former presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh on a terrorism list on Tuesday, state news agency MENA reported, following his arrest for alleged contacts with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Abol Fotouh, a former Islamist who leads the Strong Egypt party, was arrested last week a day after returning from London, where he had given interviews sharply critical of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ahead of next month´s presidential election.

The Interior Ministry said at the time that Abol Fotouh held secret meetings with leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood while in London to implement a plot to stir unrest and instability in the country, accusations he denied. Sisi is almost guaranteed to win a second term in a presidential election slated for March 26-28, but the vote has been criticised by rights groups after a number of potential competitors called off their campaigns, citing intimidation, and a challenger was arrested.