Block ex-PM Shafiq, Egypt's Abul Fotouh Says

Egyptian Islamist candidate Abdel Moneim Abul Fotouh on Friday urged his supporters to "confront the corrupt regime," in an implicit appeal against Mubarak-era prime minister Ahmed Shafiq.

His statement came after figures showing that Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi and Shafiq appeared to have won the first round of Egypt's presidential vote, setting them up for a run-off.

"I am beginning communications and meetings and dialogue with all national forces to rally our efforts and votes and confront the corrupt regime," said Abul Fotouh, who appeared to have come fourth or fifth in the race.

"We will build a national revolutionary consensus on all the current political issues and form a single front against the symbols of corruption, injustice and tyranny," he added.

"Our revolution will be victorious and Egypt will be strong, God willing."

The statement fell far short of an endorsement of Mursi, the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood organization which Abul Fotouh left to make his run for president.

But its reference to the "corrupt regime" appeared to be directed against Shafiq, who served as both aviation minister and prime minister under ousted president Hosni Mubarak and has been slammed for his regime ties.

Despite being considered an early frontrunner, Abul Fotouh appeared to have fared badly in the final count, which put Mursi in the lead, followed by Shafiq, and Nasserist candidate Hamdeen Sabbahi in third place.

Abul Fotouh touted his broad support, with backers ranging from liberal activists to members of the ultra-conservative Salafi movement.

Egypt's election commission is not expected to announce official results from the country's first free presidential elections since last year's uprising until Tuesday.

But the results have been trickling in via the Muslim Brotherhood's network of campaign observers, who are considered to be providing reliable figures on the final tallies.