The state security apparatus put together a plan to get rid of its secret documents following the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak, according to documents obtained by Al-Masry al-Youm after protesters broke into the state security headquarters in Cairo's Nasr City district.
Al-Masry obtained two documents detailing the apparatus’ plan to destroy secret documents for fear they may fall into the hands of protesters. The first document instructs state security branches to get rid of all archives by shredding, not burning. The second document is the minutes of a state security leaders' meeting. It details the procedures to be adopted for getting rid of secret documents.
The meeting was held on 21 February 2011, ten days after Mubarak's ouster, and was attended by top state security officials on the request of the assistant interior minister. They decided to modify archive rooms by lining walls with concrete, doors with iron, and fitting doors with steel locks.
The meeting also put into place an emergency plan to shred archives in cases of offices being broken into. Participants also examined the possibility of getting scientists to help get rid of files using chemicals instead of fire.
