Mubarak summoned for questioning

Hosni Mubarak

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/174118.html

Egypt's public prosecutor has summoned former President Hosni Mubarak and his son for questioning over corruption and use of violence against peaceful protesters.

"The public prosecutor Abdel Magid Mahmud decided today to ask for the questioning of former president Hosni Mubarak and his sons Gamal and Alaa," MENA reported.

The order came immediately after Mubarak published his first message to the Egyptian people after his ouster from power in February.

In an audio message on Sunday, Mubarak rejected the corruption accusations made against him.

Former Premier Ahmed Nazif has also been detained for questioning over corruption charges.

This comes as tens of thousands of protesters demanded the prosecution of officials belonging to the former regime -- mainly the ousted president Mubarak and his family.

Meanwhile, Egyptians are continuing their protests against the ruling military council in Cairo's Liberation Square. They want the ruling military council's head -- Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi -- to step down.

At least six protesters were killed and dozens more were injured after troops used taser guns and batons to disperse several thousands of protesters in Cairo's Liberation Square on Saturday.

Earlier reports said Mubarak and his former petroleum minister were also being investigated for selling artificially cheap gas to Israel.

The chief prosecutor had received evidence that Mubarak and Sameh Fahmy had sold natural gas to Israel and several Western countries for artificially low prices.

Fahmy has recently told investigators that he was just carrying out orders from Mubarak.

Egypt supplies about 40 percent of Israel's natural gas demand based on a deal reached between Cairo and Tel Aviv after the 1979 peace accord.

However, Mubarak has rejected the corruption accusations as libel.

In an interview with the Saudi television station Al-Arabiya for the first time since his ouster in February, Mubarak said he is prepared to aid any probe into his family's assets outside Egypt. He also threatened to sue his accusers.