2nd revolution in Egypt - just hours away

Egyptian election officials have barred 10 candidates from the presidential poll, including former spy chief Omar Suleiman and the Muslim Brotherhood's Khairat al-Shater. Ultra orthodox Salafi Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail has also been banned. No reason was given by officials, who said the 10 banned candidates had 48 hours to appeal. Elections are due to be held in May, more than a year after Hosni Mubarak was overthrown by popular protests. Egypt is still governed by a military council, although parliamentary elections have taken place in the meantime. The Brotherhood-backed Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) became the largest party in parliament. The decision by Mr Suleiman to stand for the presidency sparked major protests in Cairo on Friday. The news that he and nine other candidates were being excluded was announced by Farouk Sultan, the head of the Supreme Presidential Election Commission. Officials said the 10 did not meet the conditions for candidacy, but no further explanation was given

A lawyer for Ismail attacked the decision to disqualify the ultra-conservative Salafi and others from the race on Saturday, saying he expected a "major crisis". "The man heading this committee has never been independent. This elimination was dictated to him and he is working under the guidance of the military council," Nizar Ghorab told Reuters, referring to the head of Egypt's election commission. A lawyer for Ismail attacked the decision to disqualify the ultra-conservative Salafi and others from the race on Saturday, saying he expected a "major crisis". "The man heading this committee has never been independent. This elimination was dictated to him and he is working under the guidance of the military council," Nizar Ghorab told Reuters, referring to the head of Egypt's election commission. "I expect a major crisis to happen in the next few hours," he said.

According to reports in Egyptian media, the reason for Suleiman's disqualification is that he lacks a few votes in his list of supporters. Al-Shater was ruled out because he has a criminal record, while Abu Ismail was disqualified because suspicions remain that his mother has American citizenship.