Egypt's public prosecutor is making preparations for the Tuesday appearance of ousted President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons Gamal and Alaa for investigation in Cairo, judicial sources said on Thursday.
The prosecutor contacted the interior and justice ministries to request the preparation of reports concerning the transfer of Hosni Mubarak, who is currently being held in a hospital in Sinai.
The South Sinai Security Directorate issued a report stating that Mubarak’s continued presence in Sharm el-Sheikh presents a threat to the city as well as to Mubarak himself. According to a source, security chiefs fear that after Friday prayers a large number of citizens may protest outside Sharm el-Sheikh International Hospital where Mubarak is being detained.
Meanwhile, officials at the hospital held a meeting with his lawyer Farid al-Deeb on Wednesday evening, during which al-Deeb assured him that his legal position was strong and that there was no evidence that Mubarak issued orders for the use of live ammunition against protesters on 28 January. The officials went on to say that Mubarak’s health is fluctuating and that he is being treated with anti-anxiety drugs.
On Thursday, a group of Mubarak supporters clashed with anti-Mubarak protesters outside the hospital. The anti-Mubarak protesters called for his transfer out of the city. His presence, they say, is negatively affecting tourism.
A military source said that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) would not be releasing any statements concerning the detention of Mubarak and his sons, on the basis that the issue is a matter of concern for the judicial authorities.
The source went on to say that Mubarak would remain in the hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh and would not be transferred unless his health worsened, in which case he would be transferred to the International Medical Center Hospital, a military hospital located on the Cairo-Ismailia Desert Road.
In related news, Assistant Justice Minister for the Illicit Gains Authority Assem al-Gohary has ordered that all supervisory reports concerning the growth of the Mubarak family fortune be prepared so that they can be presented during the hearing next week.
Meanwhile, presidential candidate Hesham el-Bastawisi said that Mubarak’s state of health should not hinder investigations, even inside the hospital. He said also that investigations had been delayed in order to allow for the collection of all documents and evidence necessary to ensure a fair trial, and one that would proceed unchallenged.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
