Al-Ahram Weekly Issue No. 250 7 - 13 December 1995
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

Gunshot at Bab Al-Sha'riya

By Reem Leila

The Wafd Party's Ayman Nour, who is running against Sobhi Gneidi, an NDP-sympathising independent, was riding his car when he was hit. Fellow journalist Mustafa Shafiq was driving Nour through the district during a campaign round on the eve of the run-off elections.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Nour said he saw a man emerge from behind a pickup truck and come forward in the direction of his car. Nour then heard a thud as the single pistol shot fired by the assailant smashed the car's windshield.

At first Nour did not realise he had been hit and felt no pain. He went to Bab Al-Sha'riya police station to report the attack, but while he was there he began bleeding from his left side and was rushed to hospital.

The bullet had reportedly first passed through a book in Nour's short pocket, before entering his body. Although the wound was described by doctors as "superficial", he was placed in intensive care as a precaution against possible complications because he is diabetic.

Nour said the attacker was around 40, short, well-dressed, white-skinned, bespectacled and with blondish hair.

Police surrounded the scene of the attack, but the assailant escaped.

Nour's rival, Gneidi, described the attack as "theatrics" arranged by the Wafd Party. "We all know that the opposition resorts to such tricks," he said.

But one of Nour's supporters insisted there was no way he could have arranged the attack himself. "He is diabetic and could not possibly risk his own life," the supporter said.

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