Security Forces On High Alert As Egypt Awaits Election Results

It is still unclear which of the two candidates competing in the Egyptian presidential runoff — Mohammad Morsi or General Ahmed Shafiq — will end up in the presidential seat, since each candidate insists that he has won more votes than his opponent.

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Summary : Days after Egyptians voted in a presidential runoff, it still isn't clear whether former Mubarak player Ahmed Shafiq or Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammad Morsi is the winner, though each has claimed victory. Results were expected Thursday, but authorities said they would be delayed while vote-tampering allegations were investigated.  Publisher: Al-Masry Al-Youm (Egypt) Original Title: Security Alert Before “Presidential” Results and “War of Appeals” May Postpone Their Announcement Author: Al-Masry Al-Youm First Published: June 21, 2012 Posted on: June 21 2012 Translated by: Naria Tanoukhi Categories : Egypt

Morsi’s campaign has announced the end of its run, declaring its candidate’s victory in the runoff and claiming that it has received many congratulatory messages from various political and religious figures. Meanwhile, Shafiq’s electoral campaign is celebrating what it sees as the victory of its own candidate, who appeared before his supporters on June 20 in front of his home, bearing a victory sign.

Before the presidential election results were announced, armed forces and police were deployed en masse along the Suez Canal maritime border, as well as in the Sinai Peninsula and along Egypt’s border with Gaza and Israel. Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri received a security report from Interior Minister Major General Mohammad Ibrahim on the ministry's plan to cooperate with the armed forces in securing important sites.

Following protocol,  the Higher Presidential Elections Commission (HPEC) began to investigate 400 complaints filed by the two candidates. Counselor Abd-al-Aziz Salman, the HPEC deputy secretary-general, said that the appeals examined so far by the committee “do not affect the election results.” He explained that the committee will only announce the final results — scheduled for Thursday [June 21] — after they have examined and reviewed all appeals filed by the candidates.

Official Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghazlan warned that a “dangerous confrontation” may occur between the people and the army if Shafiq is declared president.”

In a statement to the Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat yesterday, Ghazlan said, “Shafiq’s insistence on claiming victory in the runoff means that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and HPEC have bad intentions.”