CAIRO: Opposition figure Ayman Nour, sentenced in December to five years in prison for falsifying official documents, was questioned on Thursday for allegedly beating a member of the ruling party. Nour appeared before a court in southern Cairo to respond to charges of hitting and wounding a member of the National Democratic Party (NDP) with a wooden sign, said a statement by Nour s El-Ghad party. The attack allegedly took place on Sept. 7, the day of the presidential election, the statement said, adding that Nour had also been questioned for insulting the President of the Republic. Nour came in second in the presidential poll, which was won by incumbent Hosni Mubarak who has held office since 1981. Nour was subsequently tried on fraud charges and sentenced to prison. The party statement said Nour s wife Gamila Ismail was also accused of inciting against Mubarak, hitting a police officer and breaking the camera with which he was photographing crowds on election day. The affair showed that the Egyptian government was bothered by Nour s presence, despite his imprisonment, the statement said, pointing out that Nour was questioned the day after a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and when he could no longer appeal his conviction. Washington had warned that condemning Nour to five years in prison would harm relations between the United States and Egypt. Nour, a 41-year-old lawyer, lost his parliamentary seat during elections in November and December, and his party lost its representation in parliament. He has denied charges that he falsified documents. AFP
Opposition figure Ayman Nour questioned for battery
