Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit has confirmed that the life of former vice president Omar Suleiman was targeted in the height of the recent nationwide revolution, the Middle East News Agency said on Thursday.
Fox News TV reported the attack on February 5, citing a senior source from the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama. Later Egypt denied the report and called it "groundless."
Gheit said he has seen Suleiman's vehicle, which was riddled with bullets. Assailants stole an ambulance in order to approach Suleiman's cortege and attacked it. The attack left one of Suleiman's bodyguards dead, another bodyguard and a driver received injuries.
Since 1986, Suleiman has been one of the leading figures in Egypt's intelligence system. He was appointed to the long vacant vice presidency seat by then president Hosni Mubarak on January 29 of this year. In February, Suleiman announced Mubarak's resignation and left his post.
CAIRO, February 24 (RIA Novosti)
