Egypt's ultraconservative Islamists back Sisi, seek to eclipse Brotherhood

ABU HOMOS Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt's ultra-conservative Islamist Al Nour party is voicing interest in joining President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's new government as part of a strategy to replace the banned Moslem Brotherhood as the country's most influential Islamist movement.

Al Nour chief Younes Makhyoun, who enjoys strong support in Egypt's poor cities and slum areas where Sisi's liberal-leaning allies are weak, said in an interview with Reuters his party's strategy would be to "help Sisi in his rule". He backed the former general when the army toppled the Brotherhood last year.