Independent newspaper Al-Shorouk writes this morning that Planning and International Cooperation Minister Fayza Abouelnaga denies any involvement in the NGO case and says she read about the lifting of the travel ban on the defendants in the newspaper.
The minister referred to a case in which 43 workers for foreign NGOs, including Americans, faced charges of illegal funding and intent to interfere in Egypt’s politics. Amid growing tension with the US over the case, Egypt authorities lifted a travel ban that had prevented the foreign suspects from leaving.
Meanwhile, members of Parliament members described Abouelnaga’s statement as comic.
Al-Shorouk reported that in a meeting with the People’s Assembly Economic Affairs Committee, Abouelnaga said she was surprised the accused in the NGO case were now free to travel. The committee demanded an interrogation with the civil aviation, interior and justice ministers and a representative from the Defense Ministry.
The MPs also demanded a list of the names of all the Egyptian prisoners in US prisons and asked for their release, particularly that of Omar Abdel Rahman, Jama’a al-Islamiya’s spiritual leader who is serving time in a US prison for his part in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings in New York.
They also asked that the government freeze relations with the US.
State owned Al-Ahram leads with the headline, “Filed complaints bombard those involved in releasing the accused in NGO case. Judges demand SCAF uncover the truth,” referring to Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
According to the newspaper, the complaints are against the attorney general and the justice minister. Members of the judicial authority demanded that Judge Abdel Moez Ibrahim, head of the Cairo Court of Appeals, be held accountable for releasing the accused.
Meanwhile, Al-Ahram reports that the US promises to facilitate Egypt’s loan from the International Monetary Fund.
Independent Al-Dostour writes, “NGO judge: I wasn’t pressured and a judge never changes his mind even if he is wrong.” Judge Mahmoud Shukry, who resigned earlier from the case, said he will present a memo in the next few days explaining why he retreated from the job. Shukry has said his resignation had nothing to do with his son, who was earlier reported to have ties to the US Embassy.
On the other hand, the People’s Assembly Defense, National Security and Mobilization Committee demanded that the government cut relations with the US to regain Egypt’s dignity, in addition to firing the government of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri. The committee also demanded the release of a similar number of Egyptian prisoners in the US, with Omar Abdel Rahman at the top of the list.
The Freedom and Justice newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Muslim Brotherhood’s political party, writes that Ganzouri is to attend the People’s Assembly session Sunday to discuss the NGO and foreign funds case, according to MP Bahaa Attiya. Attiya said Ganzouri will be accompanied by the ministers of justice, interior, civil aviation and a representative from the Defense Ministry.
Egypt’s papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Youm7: Daily, privately owned
Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned
Freedom and Justice: Daily, published by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Nasserist Party
Al-Nour: Official paper of the Salafi Nour Party
