Egypt arrests aide to barred presidential challenger

Egyptian police arrest former anti-corruption chief Hisham Geneina after he suggested that a presidential hopeful he campaigned for possessed damning material against state officials, his lawyer says.

Geneina was an aide to Sami Anan, a former military chief of staff detained after the army accused him of illegally announcing his intention to stand in the March election against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

He was the latest candidate to be sidelined after announcing his intention to run against Sisi, a former army commander who came to power in an election after ousting his Islamist predecessor.

In an interview with HuffPost Arabi published late last night, Geneina said the documents, held at a “secure” place abroad, could be released if any harm came to Anan.

— AFP