Who is khairat al shater

In the most recent case, a military court sentenced him to seven years for terrorism and money laundering, after his assets were frozen. Shater managed Brotherhood affairs and oversaw his business empire from his prison cell, according to press reports. Shater was released from jail in March , just a month after Mubarak was toppled. Shater said on March 31 that he was resigning as deputy chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood after the group picked him to stand in the presidential election that is scheduled for May 23 and Khairat Al Shater, deputy leader of the Brotherhood and a major financier of the group, now regularly features on protest posters and in chants decrying what protesters describe as the Brotherhood's secretive and conspiratorial ways.

On Monday, a group of men including police officers fired guns at Mr Al Shater's family home in the suburb of Nasr City and arrested his driver on charges of "assaulting a police officer", according to Mr Al Shater's son, Saad. Police refused to intervene, according to Saad Al Shater. We are only disappointed that they have returned to these old ways and joined demonstrations when they should be protecting all citizens.

Rarely appearing in media or granting interviews, Khairat Al Shater has built up a reputation of being a powerful back-room operator in the two and a half years since a popular uprising forced Mubarak to resign. Mr Al Shater was the Brotherhood's presidential candidate a year ago but the electoral commission disqualified him because of a criminal record - the result of trumped up cases from the Mubarak regime - pushing Mr Morsi, a backup candidate, centre stage.

Ever since, Mr Al Shater has been the quiet strategist pulling the strings of the presidency from behind the scenes, government critics say. When top diplomats visited Egypt, they sought Mr Al Shater's perspective. Chief executives of global companies came to him to find out about the government's economic direction. Mr Nour said the meeting, to discuss "major issues of national security", included Mr Al Shater for two reasons: he was among the most powerful Brotherhood leaders and he held no official title, meaning it was not a "direct" discussion between opposition members and the presidency.

There has also been a growing perception among the opposition that Mr Al Shater was becoming Egypt's "new Ahmed Ezz", a reference to the steel tycoon and official of Mubarak's disbanded National Democratic Party who was a major target of ire during the uprising. Ezz was seen by protesters as the quintessential businessman politician, building up a huge fortune in a matter of years by exploiting his connections to the regime.

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