An assassination attempt against then Vice President Omar Suleiman was foiled during the 18-day uprising which led to the resignation of Egypt’s former president, announced Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Gheit during a television interview on Wednesday.
Aboul Gheit said he witnessed the incident and that one of Suleiman’s bodyguards was killed and his driver seriously injured. He added that the shot was fired from an ambulance and was directed at Suleiman`s car while the VP was on his way to the presidential palace in Cairo.
Fox News reported on February 4 that Suleiman was targeted shortly after being named to his post, describing it as an organized attack, but Egyptian authorities denied these reports at that time.
The shooting reportedly took place on February 4, a week before the resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak.
Suleiman, who served for two decades as the head of the Egyptian intelligence service, was appointed as Mubarak’s first vice president in 30 years of rule on January 29, in an attempt to appease protesters.