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Violence in egypt elections as brotherhood gains { December 2 2005 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://news.ft.com/cms/s/4ffa986e-62d9-11da-8dad-0000779e2340.html http://news.ft.com/cms/s/4ffa986e-62d9-11da-8dad-0000779e2340.html Man dies in Egypt poll violence By William Wallis in Cairo Published: December 2 2005 02:00 | Last updated: December 2 2005 02:00 Violence escalated yesterday in the third and final round of Egypt's legislative elections, with at least one man killed amid accusations that the government was trying to curb support for the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. Candidates running as nominally independent - because the Brotherhood is banned - have already won 76 seats in the first two rounds of staggered voting. This is five times the number they had in the outgoing parliament. While the ruling National Democratic party still looks set to retain a strong majority, some in the party have been alarmed at the scale of Islamist gains. With other opposition parties struggling to regain relevance after years of restrictions, the Brotherhood has confirmed its position as Egypt's only serious and organised opposition force. Essam el-Erian, a leading member of the group, said attempts to stop people voting were more determined yesterday than in previous rounds. He said more than 700 Brotherhood activists had been arrested in the last three days in an attempt to curb the group's support. Washington has pressed Mr Mubarak, who has been in power for 24 years, to lead the way in the Middle East in ushering in more democracy. But it supports the government's ban on the Brotherhood. This week, the State Department urged Egypt to "clean up" the elections, saying reports that security forces had barred some people from voting and that election monitors had been harassed were "sources of serious concern". The government has blamed the Brotherhood for some of the violence that marred earlier rounds. Police blocking access to voters at a polling station in the coastal town of Balteem yesterday shot one man dead and injured dozens of others, the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights said. An interior ministry spokesman confirmed the death. The final stage of the elections, on December 7, will involve run-offs between the top two candidates in each constituency after yesterday's voting. The Brotherhood has put up only 49 candidates in the final round as part of a strategy of not provoking the authorities. So far it has won in more than 70 per cent of the seats it has contested.

Brotherhood only benefactors of egypt open elections { November 8 2005 } Brotherhood wins 8 parliament seats { October 2005 } Condoleezza hints at muslim brotherhood acceptance { November 9 2005 } Islam takes center stage in egypt 2005 elections { November 5 2005 } Mubarak accused of fraud in first elections Muslim brotherhood woman seeks egypt seat { November 6 2005 } Outlawed muslim brotherhood gained 29 more seats Police attack voters on last day of elections { December 8 2005 } Rumors condoleezza rice open muslim brotherhood US says election results are positive Violence in egypt elections as brotherhood gains { December 2 2005 } Violence in elections as brotherhood makes gains { November 16 2005 } Files Listed: 12

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