Committee on the Present Danger Seeks Meeting with Jailed Egyptian Legislator

March 9, 2005 — Following Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's recent announcement that the country's constitution would be amended to allow direct, multiparty presidential elections, the leadership of the Committee on the Present Danger has invited Ayman Nour, the imprisoned head of Al Ghad, an opposition party, and a member of Egypt's parliament, to join its international unit.

Letters signed by co-Chairmen George Shultz, former Secretary of State, R. James Woolsey, former Director of Central Intelligence, Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic and José Maria Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain, have been sent to Mr. Nour and to President Mubarak.

In the letters, the CPD leaders have asked for a meeting with Mr. Nour who was jailed in January for alleged irregularities in petition signatures gathered for the licensing of his party last year. He is widely seen as a possible opposition candidate for the Egyptian presidency.

“President Mubarak has announced an important first step in opening the Egyptian political system,” said Mr. Woolsey.

“Also, he has been an ally in the fight against terrorism spawned by radical ideologues. We would like to hear from Mr. Nour, as well, on these matters; hence our invitation to him and our request to meet with him.”

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***FDD President Clifford May is chairman of the policy committee of the Committee on the Present Danger.