Two Umra pilgrims on Thursday filed a complaint with the military prosecutor against the honor guards of military leader Hussein Tantawi, accusing the guards of assaulting them at Cairo airport on Sunday evening.
Early investigations by airport security revealed that Brigadier General Essam Gharib Ahmed received a phone call from his brother, who was returning on the same plane as the two pilgrims, brothers Mostafa and Yehia Mahmoud. Ahmed’s brother alleged that the two caused him to fall down the airplane entry ramp while he was boarding the plane, and asked Ahmed to wait for their arrival and teach them a lesson.
Kamal Suleiman, the lawyer for the two brothers, told Al-Masry Al-Youm Thursday that the two filed a complaint with the Defense Ministry with details of the incident and have demanded Ahmed be interrogated. The ministry then referred the complaint to the military prosecutor.
He added that seven guards waited for his clients at the airport, and insulted and beat them. The complaint has been referred to the military prosecution for investigation, Suleiman said, noting that airport surveillance cameras recorded the assault.
Sources familiar with the situation said the military and airport security were able to reconcile after the military apologized on behalf of the honor guards.
This article is an edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
