Egyptian opposition says members besieged

Egypt's largest opposition group The Muslim Brotherhood protested Sunday about "corruption and irregularities" ahead of elections on Tuesday. The group's supreme guide Mohammed Badie said security officials had removed posters of his candidates and chased his members and their supporters to prevent them from meeting constituents.

Reuters

"It has reached the stage of besieging the homes of the candidates," he said. "When we decided to field candidates in this election, we thought the regime would keep some of its promises and was sincere."

The Muslim Brotherhood, which is officially banned, will be fielding about 12 candidates as independents in the mid-term election for the Shura Council, the upper house of Egypt's parliament, which is dominated by President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party.

On Tuesday, 446 candidates are competing for 74 seats in 55 electoral
constituencies. Low turnout and victory for the National Democratic Party is expected.

A security official said dozens of Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters have been arrested in the last few weeks,

The 82-year-old Mubarak underwent surgery in March and has not said whether he plans to run in next year's presidential election.