Al-Masry Al-Youm has obtained files from the current investigation into former president Hosni Mubarak and his sons Alaa and Gamal. The three, along with businessman Hussein Salem – who remains at large – are alleged to be implicated in killing protesters, squandering public money and exporting gas to Israel at a discount.
In questioning, Mubarak said he knew only that policemen and thugs were killed when thugs attempted to break into police stations. He said his source of knowledge was the reports of former interior minister Habib al-Adly.
When asked if he followed televised news during the revolution, Mubarak said he just followed news agencies, which according to him only reported the deaths of police and thugs. Mubarak said he met with Adly and several officials on 25 January, and he asked Adly to exercise self-control in dealing with the protests and to inform him of developments as they happened.
In response to an accusation that he was given a villa by Salem in exchange for allocating him pieces of land, Mubarak said he purchased the villa with his own money, paying LE500,000. But investigations show that its real value at the time was LE24.5 million, according to an expert from the Ministry of Justice.
Sources said Mubarak broke into tears three times during questioning, and the sessions were paused so he could recover.
Although media reports claimed that Omar Suleiman, former intelligence chief and vice president, said Mubarak was aware of the shootings and could have given orders to stop them, the investigation files seem to show this to be false.
According to the results of the investigation so far, Suleiman said Mubarak gave instructions to Adly to exercise self-control and not use violence against protesters. Suleiman added that if Mubarak had known of the excesses that actually took place, he would have not approved.
Suleiman added that Mubarak left the Interior Ministry to deal with protesters, and when Adly suggested cutting off communications – including the internet – to reduce the size of protests Mubarak did not reject the suggestion.
Investigations have also revealed that there are no recordings nor is there correspondence exist that could indict Mubarak, contrary to media reports.
The questioning of Alaa and Gamal was carried out at Tora prison. They both denied the charges brought against them.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
