Brotherhood's Muhammad Mursi claims victory in Prez polls

Cairo - 18 June 2012 (PTI): Egypt's moderate Islamist force Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in the presidential poll today and promised to build a modern democratic state, but the landmark election stood overshadowed by uncertainty as the ruling military took over legislative powers.

Hours after voting closed in Egypt's presidential run off, the Muslim Brotherhood man Muhammad Mursi declared victory over Ahmed Shafiq, an air force man and Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister.

At a press conference held at the Brotherhood headquarters Mursi paid homage to the martyrs of the revolution that ousted Mubarak, and promised that there would be no settling of accounts.

"I will be a brother and servant to all Egyptians," said Mursi, flanked by the Freedom and Justice Party chief Essam El-Erian, former parliamentary speaker Saad El-Katatni and FJP MP Saad El-Husseini.

He vowed to establish a just civilian country and saluted "the revolution's 'martyrs', the revolutionaries and those who said 'Yes' to me as well as those who said 'No' to me."

"We promise to build a democratic and modern state with a constitution," he said as supporters broke out singing the national anthem.

The rival camp of Shafiq immediately contradicted Mursi's claims and criticised the Brotherhood for declaring premature victory.

The spokesperson for Shafiq's campaign, Yasser Makarim accused the Brotherhood of hijacking the results, and said around 11% of the votes were yet to be counted.

He even claimed that it was Shafiq who was leading 51 to 49 though the Brotherhood's claims appeared to be closer to other unofficial tallies from local and international media.

The official results will be announced only by later this week.