Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat Al-Shater(Photo: AP/Amr Nabil)
The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) is considering a request by the Freedom and Justice Party to pardon the Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Supreme Guide Khairat El-Shater, according to the Al-Ahram Arabic website.
El-Shater was convicted in 2007 on a number of charges, including money laundering. A pardon would open the way for him to stand for president. He is currently banned from holding public office.
Earlier on Wednesday, the SCAF pardoned Ayman Nour who had been banned from politics since being convicted of forging signatures to secure the formation of the liberal Al-Ghad Party in 2005. He immediately announced his intention to stand for president.
The Muslim Brotherhood is considering nominating a candidate for president, with El-Shater amongst the names mentioned.
El-Shater has been sentenced to prison six times during his life and faced several military trials for funding the Muslim Brotherhood. The group was a banned group that only began operating openly after the January 25 revolution.
He is one of the masterminds behind the organisation.
Short link: