Egypt ex-spy chief, Islamists barred from presidential vote

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt's election commission said on Saturday that ex-spy chief Omar Suleiman, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Khairat al-Shater and Salafist politician Hazem Abu Ismail are among 10 candidates barred from running for president.

Commission official Tarek Abul Atta told AFP that Suleiman had been disqualified because he failed to get endorsements from 15 provinces as per law.

Shater, who was released from prison in March last year, has been barred because of a law that states that candidates can only run in elections six years after being released or pardonned, Abul Atta said.

Abu Ismail is out of the race because his mother holds another nationality, violating election rules, he said.

Others who have been disqualified include Ayman Nur, who caught the world's attention when he challenged ousted president Hosni Mubarak in 2005 presidential elections.

Nur was imprisoned shortly after those elections and released on health grounds in 2009. He was banned under the same rule as the Muslim Brotherhood's Shater.

The disqualified candidates have 48 hours to appeal the decision.

A total of 23 candidates had registered for Egypt's first presidential election since a popular uprising toppled Mubarak last year.

The remaining candidates include former Arab League chief Amr Mussa, who also served as Mubarak's foreign minister for 10 years.

The election is due to take place May 23 and 24.