Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has said he would back army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for president, adding to speculation that the man who led the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi could become head of state.




Shafiq said in an interview with private Egyptian TV channel Dream that he would not run if Sisi stood in the election expected next year.

Sisi has said he does not seek authority though speculation he will run has mounted since he toppled the Muslim Brotherhood's Morsi from the presidency in July.

Sisi has emerged as the public face of the new order,enjoying fawning coverage in Egyptian media and sowing doubts about the military's promise to hand over to full civilian rule with a "road map" to parliamentary and presidential elections.

The military deposed Morsi on July 3 after mass protests against his rule.

Since then, most of the Brotherhood's top leadership has been arrested and face charges of inciting violence.

The Brotherhood has accused Sisi of trying to rehabilitate the old order that ran Egypt for 30 years under Mubarak.