Saudi plot to prevent Islamist victory in Egypt exposed

TEHRAN, May 27 (MNA) -- A top secret document, obtained by Iran’s Arabic language news network Al-Alam, reveals that Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has been attempting to prevent an Islamist victory in Egypt’s presidential election. Al-Alam published a copy of the document, which is a letter, on its website on Saturday. The letter, which was sent by Faisal to the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Cairo, revealed Riyadh’s efforts to prevent an Islamist victory in the Egyptian presidential election. “As expressly emphasized by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (Saudi King Abdullah), we want you to make your utmost efforts to prevent the victory of the Islamists’ candidates, especially Mohammed Mursi,” the letter said. In his letter, Faisal called the Muslim Brotherhood a “real threat to Saudi Arabia” and said “we do not want them to accede to power” in Egypt. “Otherwise, we will lose our leading position in the Arab and Muslim world,” he added. Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood announced that the group’s candidate, Mohammed Mursi, won the most votes in this week’s first round election, with over 25% of the vote. According to the results of the first round of Egypt’s presidential election, state media named the Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi and former air force chief Ahmed Shafiq as the top two vote-getters, with 5,553,097 and 5,210,978 votes respectively, Reuters reported. Official results are not due until Tuesday to allow the election committee to hear complaints and appeals about the voting. State newspapers cited no source for their vote count, which broadly tallied with previous Muslim Brotherhood estimates.