Unwelcome support?

The ruling NDP makes a point of totally dissociating itself from a would-be pro-Mubarak movement. Mohamed El-Sayed talks to its controversial founder

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A new pro-President Mubarak movement called Al-Istimrar Min Agl Al-Izdihar (Continuity for Prosperity) held its first press conference last week on board the Al-Saraya floating restaurant on the Nile. With a membership mainly culled from the culture and sports spheres, the new group's main task is rallying support for Mubarak's reelection for a fifth presidential term.

The group aims to act as a counterbalance to Kifaya, the anti-Mubarak movement famous for its street protests against the president. "Our first goal is to expose those who work for outside forces and aim at destroying the country's safety and security," the new group's statement said. That tone seemed to mirror government accusations that Kifaya receives its support from abroad, and seeks to wreak havoc across the country -- a charge the group has vehemently denied.

Ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) Secretary-General Safwat El-Sherif denied that there was any link between the party and the new movement. The movement's secretary-general, Mohamed Abdel-Aal, also denied having any links to the NDP. "It was my idea," said Abdel-Aal, who chairs the small Social Justice party. "I felt it was time to create a self-financed movement to raise public awareness of the importance of maintaining an atmosphere of political stability. If Mubarak is not elected for another term, Egypt will see ruin and destruction," he told Al-Ahram Weekly.

The group plans to publish articles, and hold a series of lectures, to that effect. Abdel- Aal, 55, said the nation's choice boiled down to a contest between Mubarak and "terrorist figures with catchy slogans hiding sinister intentions". Demonstrations were not planned, so as not to hamper traffic and harm people's interests, he said.

The group's launch event was attended by a plethora of sportsmen, including recent Athens Olympic Games medalists Karam Gaber, Mohamed Reda, Ahmed Ismail, Mohamed El- Baz and Tamer Salah, all five of whom were feted by Mubarak for their achievements last year. Second-tier film and TV stars Youssef Dawoud, Ahmed Abdel-Wareth 'Asar, Ibrahim Khan and Hani Mehanna also showed up at the event to voice their support.

Conspicuously abscent was veteran movie star Hussein Fahmi; the group's statement had claimed that he was to be their spokesperson. When Fahmi didn't show up, Abdel-Aal accused him of reneging on his promises.

Fahmi, who is a UN goodwill ambassador, told the Weekly that he "has no link with this movement. Abdel-Aal phoned me a few days before the press conference, told me the movement's goals, and asked me to attend the press conference. But I didn't make any promises". Fahmi said he was shocked by the announcement about him being the spokesperson. "It made me laugh."

According to Abdel-Aal, popular singer Shaaban Abdel-Rahim was also scheduled to attend the launch conference to perform his pro-Mubarak song Kilmat Haq (Word of Truth). Abdel-Aal said that when Abdel- Rahim found out he would not be paid to join the movement, he decided not to show up.

Appointed to the Shura Council by President Mubarak in the 1990s, Abdel-Aal is a controversial figure who was sentenced, in 2001, to 10 years in prison for blackmailing businessmen and slandering public figures in Al-Watan Al-Arabi newspaper, his party's mouthpiece. Abdel-Aal was only recently released, but is still awaiting a final court ruling on his case. His Press Syndicate membership and parliamentary immunity were revoked in 1998 on similar grounds.