Aboud Zumour, a leading member of the Jihad organisation who is in prison for conspiring in the 1981 assassination of Sadat, announced through his wife his intention to run for office.

Ayman Nour, head of the Al Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, announced in March from his jail cell his intention to run for the country’s top job.

Nour was in custody while being investigated for accusations of forging documents relating to the founding of his party.

He was released on bail in March pending a trial.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s foreign minister said yesterday most Egyptians were against the idea of foreign monitoring of its first presidential elections this year but no decision had yet been taken.

Asked about the idea of foreign monitoring of the September vote, as called for by Washington, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said: “This matter does not please the great majority of the Egyptians and they have a sensitivity about this subject.”