Archive for American citizenship

Abu Ismail to establish international Islamic movement

by admin
September 17th, 2012

Salafi Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, who was eliminated from the presidential race earlier this year, has decided to establish an international Islamic movement and a political party that aims to spread “moderate Islam,” a former media adviser to his campaign said on Monday.

“The movement will have a political and educational dimension based on the application of Sharia, deriving its understanding from a Salafi perspective. It aims to spread moderate Islam. The name of the movement, the party and its leadership will be announced in a press conference on 15 October,” said Ayman Elias.

The movement would focus on educating a new generation about Sharia in the Gulf states, Egypt and Libya, Elias said.

Abu Ismail was disqualified from the presidential race after the Presidential Elections Commission ruled that his mother had American citizenship, as the Constitutional Declaration stipulates that presidential candidates’ parents must only hold Egyptian citizenship.

Abu Ismail said that the documents submitted to the PEC were false and his mother holds only Egyptian citizenship.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Morsy’s children reject giving up American nationality

by admin
July 22nd, 2012

 

President Morsy’s children that were born in the United States, will not give up their US citizenship because it is their personal freedom, his son Osama told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

He was commenting on a case before the Administrative Court, which requests his two siblings, Ahmed and Shaimaa, be stripped of their American citizenship.

He is certain the case is not based on objective grounds, since forcing someone to give up their nationality is illegal and incomprehensible, but said it was up to the court.

Mohammed Salem, a lawyer, filed a lawsuit to demand Morsy’s children to give up their American nationality, which they were granted when they were born there while President Morsy was working there.

The case was considered last Sunday by the Administrative Court, which decided to postpone the case until a session on 20 September.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Abu Ismail promises to continue legal battles

by admin
May 8th, 2012

Excluded presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail told Al-Masry Al-Youm Tuesday that he will continue filing lawsuits even after the end of the current presidential poll in order to ensure his eligibility for the next contest.

“My mother was never an American and what happened is a scheme from the West against me to abort the Islamic project. I will obtain my rights, and I will reach the presidential palace,” said Abu Ismail.

“Most Salafi sheikhs take their orders from sovereign bodies. In the beginning, their support was clear to me, but after the details of the conspiracy showed and the military council's desire against my nomination appeared, they started their statements against me to drive my supporters away from me.”

“I could never imagine that events [in Abbasseya] would reach this [point]. The blood spilt is not on my hands, but on the hands of the military council and stains them,” he said.

“The military council must be brought to account on the crimes it committed,” he said, adding that he did not visit the sit-in outside the Defense Ministry because of a leg injury.

Abu Ismail confessed that his sister has American citizenship, denying that she has anything to do with his problem.

“Why would my sister appear in the media? I am the one concerned with these details, and I know if my mother obtained American citizenship or not. If you do not believe me, believe the judicial decree that confirmed that the Interior Ministry does not have any official documents that confirm that my mother is American.”

Abu Ismail is still pondering who to support for president.

“I am deciding between Mohamed Morsy and Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh, because both of them have some of the features of my Islamic project, while other candidates are liberals and do not call for the application of Sharia law. Others are related to the ousted regime and are not fit for the presidency. I hoped I could compete with them, but I welcome the competition during future elections.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Abu Ismail calls US documents proving mother’s dual citizenship a ‘fraud’

by admin
April 17th, 2012

Recently disqualified presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail said Monday that the Presidential Elections Commission’s documents proving his mother’s American citizenship are “nonsense and fraudulent,” posting annotated photocopies on his Facebook page.

In a phone interview with Al-Hekma satellite TV channel on Monday, the ultraconservative lawyer-turned-preacher said, “We’re facing the biggest process of fraud imaginable. All the papers attached to exclude [me as a candidate] do not include an official document, but intentionally blurred photocopies. It is not clear if they were issued from an American authority.”

Under an Egyptian law issued after the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak early last year, both parents of a presidential candidate must never hold another nationality. The commission excluded Abu Ismail after receiving documents from the United States, via Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, showing that his mother became a US national in 2006, shortly before she died.

Abu Ismail’s official Facebook page posted images of the documents on Monday, with handwritten notes in Arabic at the bottom of a letter sent from the US Department of State to the Egyptian Embassy in Washington on 6 April 2012.

Abu Ismail refers to the papers as “the documents that the commission has depended on to exclude me.”

“It has become clear that what the commission has presented is a certificate issued from the American ministry of foreign affairs, but the word ‘American’ is not written on it,” he wrote.

The documents also include a US passport application from his mother, which can only be given to an American national. His mother’s name is written as “Nawal Abdelaziz Nour” and is unveiled in her passport photograph.

“The passport application … is not signed or stamped by the [American] interior ministry. It’s an application that anyone can make at his office so long as he does not sign or take responsibility,” Abu Ismail added.

The Presidential Elections Commission announced Saturday that it would exclude 10 presidential hopefuls, including Abu Ismail, from the race. They have been given 48 hours to appeal the decision to the commission, though they may not challenge it through any other legal avenue.

The commission is expected to issue its final decisions on the eight who appealed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Abu Ismail had emerged as one of the front-runners in the race since the 25 January uprising. He and his followers accuse Western countries and Egypt’s ruling generals, who are concerned by his desire for stronger Islamic law, of trying to eliminate him from next month’s ballot. They held a mass protest against the alleged intervention last Friday.

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Abu Ismail: Interior Ministry gave me papers stating my mother was not dual citizen

by admin
April 13th, 2012

Presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail said late on Thursday that he got an official document from the Interior Ministry stating that his mother was not a dual Egyptian-American citizen and that she held only Egyptian citizenship.

Abu Ismail added in a videoclip published on his official page on Facebook that he submitted the document to the Presidential Elections Commission on Thursday.

He noted that head of the commission, Farouk Sultan, "received the certificate issued by the Interior Ministry while the commission was in session."

Abu Ismail said he asked the commission so send him a copy of the papers that the Interior Ministry had originally submitted claiming that his mother had American citizenship, but Sultan refused to provide Abu Ismail with a copy, saying "these were the instructions." Abu Ismail added that Sultan allowed him to look at the documents and that they were largely fraudulent.

Abu Ismail challenged the commission to "publish these papers, because they were just fraud."

He said that it was not part of the Presidential Elections Commission’s mandate to determine the nationality of his mother.

He said that the papers submitted to prove his mother was an American national were "American travel documents, a voting certificate, a certificate from a records bureau in Los Angeles, and others."

He considered the State Council Administrative Court ruling in his favor "a strong message to the US and Israel." He added: "They wanted to murder us, but God wanted something else."
  
Abu Ismail accused the media of "twisting the facts and manipulation." He said the media has 48 hours to apologize or "they deserve what would happen."

Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Court: Abu Ismail’s mother not US national

by admin
April 12th, 2012

The State Council Administrative Court has ruled that the mother of presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail did not hold US citizenship, and asked the Interior Ministry to inform the Abu Ismail of this decision, Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr satellite channel reported.

The verdict was scheduled to be delivered earlier today but was postponed until the evening.

Large numbers of Abu Ismail supporters were crowded near the courtroom and outside the court building. They cheered joyfully once the verdict was announced. "The people want Abu Ismail as president," they chanted.

The Presidential Elections Commission said last week it had received a letter from the Interior Ministry saying that Abu Ismail’s mother, Nawal Abdel Aziz Nour, had used a US passport to enter Egypt. Other press reports said Nour had been registered as a US voter in Los Angeles.

Egypt’s Presidential Elections Law stipulates that a candidate, his parents, and spouse should not carry another citizenship in addition to the Egyptian nationality.

Ismail had denied the reports that his mother held American citizenship, accusing Egyptian authorities and the US of attempting to hamper his presidential bid. He brought the case before the court, demanding the ministry provide him with documentation proving that his mother only had Egyptian citizenship.

During the court session, Abu Ismail's lawyers said the Interior Ministry failed to verify citizenship documents sent from the US, state-run Al-Ahram reported.

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Update: Ministers did not issue decision on Abu Ismail’s mother’s nationality, govt lawyer says

by admin
April 10th, 2012

The Cairo Administrative Court continued to hear presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail’s lawsuit demanding that the interior minister give him a certificate proving his mother only had Egyptian nationality on Tuesday during an evening session.

During the session, a State Litigation Authority representative told the court that neither the interior minister nor the foreign affairs minister issued any decisions stating that Abu Ismail’s mother carried the US nationality, said the state-owned MENA news service.

According to MENA, the representative added, "Abu Ismail’s problem is with the US government, and the Egyptian government is not a party in this matter."

He went on to say that all the Presidential Elections Commission received regarding Abu Ismail’s mother was information from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship affirming that his mother had travelled more than once to the US, using an American document, not a US passport, MENA reported.

As stated in a law issued after the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak, presidential candidates may only hold Egyptian citizenship, and their parents and spouses must only have Egyptian nationality.

State-run news agency MENA reported earlier that Abu Ismail arrived at the court surrounded by more than 20 police officers, while his supporters stood outside the State Council building.

Abu Ismail told the court, "It is a legal fact that passports are not proof of citizenship, whether Egyptian or American."

He went on to say that an officer viewing a passport at the airport is too simple of a process to determine nationality.

He also said that according to Article 10 of the Nationality Act, the interior minister is responsible for determining an Egyptian's foreign citizenship.

"This did not happen with my mother," he continued. He said this would mean his mother was not an American citizen by Egyptian law, regardless of what the US government says.

He accused the Interior Ministry of legal corruption against him, claiming that the documents sent from the US to the ministry are not official by Egyptian law.

Abu Ismail left the courtroom amid hundreds of supporters, and urged them to stay away from the court house to allow it to conduct its work.

News website elbadil.net reported that minor clashes erupted between police and Abu Ismail’s supporters after the latter attempted to block traffic.

The supporters then stopped trying to block the road, chanting, “O mother of Abu Ismail, you’re Egyptian” and “The people want Hazem Abu Ismail,” according to the report.

Last week, a statement from the Presidential Elections Commission statement said the commission had received documents from the Foreign Ministry confirming that Nawal Abdel Aziz Nour, Abu Ismail’s late mother, obtained American citizenship on 25 October 2006.

The Foreign Ministry reportedly provided the Presidential Elections Commission with a photocopy of the application Nour submitted for American citizenship.

In recent weeks, Abu Ismail’s campaign posters have dominated public surfaces throughout Cairo, far outnumbering those of other candidates. He enjoys wide popularity, and some commentators believe he is the front-runner in the first presidential election since Mubarak’s resignation.

Abu Ismail advocates the establishment of an Islamic state that strictly applies Sharia. Supporters say they back Abu Ismail because they believe he will cleanse the country of corrupt officials who squandered public money.

Abu Ismail is also set to appear in court for two other lawsuits he filed, the first of which challenges Article 28 of the Constitutional Declaration, which prohibits appeals against decisions issued by the Presidential Elections Commission; and the second of which demands the suspension of the upcoming presidential election.

The election is scheduled for 23 and 24 May.

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Update: Abu Ismail says Egyptian govt never recognized mother’s citizenship

by admin
April 10th, 2012

The Cairo Administrative Court on Tuesday adjourned to the evening session presidential hopeful Hazem Salah Abu Ismail’s lawsuit demanding that the interior minister give him a certificate proving his mother only had Egyptian nationality.

As stated in a law issued after the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak, presidential candidates may only hold Egyptian citizenship, and their parents and spouses must only have Egyptian nationality.

State-run news agency MENA reported earlier that Abu Ismail arrived at the court surrounded by more than 20 police officers, while his supporters stood outside the State Council building.

Abu Ismail told the court "it is a legal fact that passports are not proof of citizenship, whether Egyptian or American."

He went on to say that an officer viewing a passport at the airport is too simple of a process to determine nationality.

He also said that according to Article 10 of the Nationality Act, the interior minister is responsible for determining an Egyptian's foreign citizenship.

"This did not happen with my mother," he continued. He said this would mean his mother was not an American citizen by Egyptian law, regardless of what the US government says.

He accused the Interior Ministry of legal corruption against him, claiming that the documents sent from the US to the ministry are not official by Egyptian law.

Abu Ismail left the courtroom amid hundreds of supporters, and urged them to stay away from the court house to allow it to conduct its work.

News website elbadil.net reported that minor clashes erupted between police and Abu Ismail’s supporters after the latter attempted to block traffic.

The supporters then stopped trying to block the road, chanting, “O mother of Abu Ismail, you’re Egyptian” and “The people want Hazem Abu Ismail,” according to the report.

Last week, a statement from the Presidential Elections Commission statement said the commission had received documents from the Foreign Ministry confirming that Nawal Abdel Aziz Nour, Abu Ismail’s late mother, obtained American citizenship on 25 October 2006.

The Foreign Ministry reportedly provided the Presidential Elections Commission with a photocopy of the application Nour submitted for American citizenship.

In recent weeks, Abu Ismail’s campaign posters have dominated public surfaces throughout Cairo, far outnumbering those of other candidates. He enjoys wide popularity, and some commentators believe he is the front-runner in the first presidential election since Mubarak’s resignation.

Abu Ismail advocates the establishment of an Islamic state that strictly applies Sharia. Supporters say they back Abu Ismail because they believe he will cleanse the country of corrupt officials who squandered public money.

Abu Ismail is also set to appear in court for two other lawsuits he filed, the first of which challenges Article 28 of the Constitutional Declaration, which prohibits appeals against decisions issued by the Presidential Elections Commission; and the second of which demands the suspension of the upcoming presidential election.

The election is scheduled for 23 and 24 May.

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UPDATE: Hazem Salah Abu Ismail says maternal citizenship controversy US conspiracy

by admin
April 7th, 2012

In a press conference inside a mosque Saturday evening, conversative preacher and presidential candidate Hazem Salah Abu Ismail attempted to remain in the presidential race, denying official statements that said his mother had US citizenship, saying the evidence was “an American forgery.”

“There is a clear American intent to exert influence on the office of the president,” Abu Ismail said to a crowd of supporters at the Assad ibn Furat mosque. “It is unacceptable that the fate of the Egyptian president should be dependent on papers from America or Israel.”

But Abu Ismail admitted there’s a possibility his mother might have at one point applied for citizenship.

“She may have presented an application for citizenship, but it did not happen,” he said.

In a statement, the Presidential Elections Commission said that it received documents from Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirming that Nawal Abdel Aziz Nour, Abu Ismail’s late mother, obtained American nationality on 25 October 2006.

The Ministry provided the Presidential Elections Commission with a photocopy of the application submitted by Nour requesting to get the American nationality.

Earlier on Saturday, Al-Masry Al-Youm quoted anonymous judicial sources as saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had told the Presidential Elections Commission that Nawal Abdel Aziz Nour, Abu Ismail’s late mother, had been a US citizen.

According to a law issued after the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak,  presidential candidates, their spouses and parents should hold Egyptian citizenship only.

On Friday, thousands of Abu Ismail supporters protested in Tahrir Square against what they said was a plot to prevent him from running in the elections.

Last week, the Immigration Department at the Ministry of Interior informed the Presidential Elections Commission that Abu Ismail’s mother entered Egypt several times in 2008 and 2009 with her US passport.

Abu Ismail will be able to appeal the decision after 8 April, the date set for announcing the final list of presidential candidates who will run in the elections on 23 May.

In recent weeks, Abu Ismail’s campaign posters have appeared on walls throughout the city, far outnumbering those of any other candidates. He enjoys wide popularity and many commentators believed him to be the front runner in the first presidential elections after Mubarak.

Ismail advocates for the establishment of an Islamist state that applies Sharia. Supporters say they back Abu Ismail because they believe he will cleanse the country of corrupt officials who squandered the country’s wealth. 

Had Ismail not been disqualified by his mother’s American citizenship, he would have gone on to face the other notable Islamist candidates in the race, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Khairat al-Shater and the moderate Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh.

 

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