Who is khairat el shater

He was also tried and convicted in , on charges of providing university students with arms and training. In the most recent case, a military court sentenced him to seven years for terrorism and money laundering, after his assets were frozen. Shater managed Brotherhood affairs and oversaw his business empire from his prison cell, according to press reports.

Shater was released from jail in March , just a month after Mubarak was toppled. Shater said on March 31 that he was resigning as deputy chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood after the group picked him to stand in the presidential election that is scheduled for May 23 and Ready to get tough with us? So now we have a request. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

Khairat Shater's new election banner photo credit: Muslim Brotherhood website image grab. Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms. View comments Hide comments. Stay updated. In a thinly-veiled reference to its ongoing power struggle with the ruling military, it also complained that parliament - where its Freedom and Justice Party FJP controls the biggest bloc - had been unable to meet "the demands of the revolution".

Yet there was evidently a heated debated among Brotherhood leaders about whether to back Mr Shater. The vote that finally decided his nomination is understood to have been very close. A former deputy leader of the Brotherhood, Mohammad Habib, was quoted on the Masrawy news website describing the outcome as "a fatal mistake" that would "make the group lose its credibility and widen the gap between the Brotherhood and public opinion".

Many younger reformist members of the group have also voiced disappointment. They believe it is Mr Shater who has continued to enforce a hierarchical and insular culture in the group since last year's uprising. He led efforts to prevent Brotherhood members from dissenting from support of the FJP and sought the expulsion of those who pursued more liberal Islamist politics such as the popular former leader, Abdul Moneim Abu al-Futuh.

These are not the actions of a president. For his part, Mr Shater, who is 62, has previously insisted that he does not seek personal power. He was not present at Saturday's news conference, but the Brotherhood's General Guide, Mohammed Badi, read out a letter in which he resigned from his post in the organisation to run for presidential office.

Mr Shater is expected to hold a news conference in the coming days to give more details of his plans. It will also give him a chance to begin to raise his public profile. While many Egyptians already know him as a successful businessman - with furniture and textile stores, a computer firm and chain of supermarkets - he can also stress his image as a family man - he has 10 children.

His supporters think that his reputation for seriousness and as a straight-talker will stand him in good stead.