Loser in Egypt presidential vote leaves country

[maddezmom]

Last edited Tue Jun 26, 2012, 02:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

CAIRO — A Cairo airport official says Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister who was defeated by an Islamist in the race for Egypt's new president has left the country for the United Arab Emirates.

The official says Ahmed Shafiq flew out of Egypt at dawn Tuesday, just hours after the country's prosecutor general opened an investigation into allegations that he wasted public funds during his eight-year-term as a civil aviation minister under Mubarak.

The official says Shafiq was accompanied by his three daughters and grandchildren. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.


Read more: http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/loser-in-egypt-presidential-1464626.html

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An airport official said Shafiq flew to Abu Dhabi at dawn with two of his three daughters and three grandchildren. His campaign told the daily al-Masry al-Youm that he left for a short visit and he will return after doing a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The campaign said he was planning to start a new political party.

more info here:
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The United Arab Emirates has offered a haven to other members of Mubarak's old regime. Earlier this month, the most senior old regime figure not jailed or on trial, former spy chief and Vice President Omar Suleiman, left for Abu Dhabi.

Shafiq's old boss Mubarak is serving a life sentence in prison after being convicted of failing to stop the killing of hundreds of protesters in the 18-day uprising last year that forced the authoritarian president out of power. Other senior figures of the regime are also either in jail or on trial for a variety of alleged abuses of power during Mubarak's three decades as president.

Shafiq was narrowly defeated for the presidency by Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, a group whose members were banned, repressed, jailed and tortured under Mubarak's regime. The results of the race were announced late Sunday afternoon.

On Monday, the prosecutor general opened an investigation into the corruption allegations and Egyptian media reports said he had been expected to be interrogated over the allegations in the coming days.

The daily Al Shorouk reported that there are at least 24 lawsuits filed against Shafiq, and that a judge planned to summon him for questioning over 11 of the suits. But the decision was postponed until the Ministry of Aviation provides documentation related to the lawsuits.

more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018532062_apmlegyptshafiq.html

[nanabugg]

1. They know that the west and Israel are planning the coup as they flee. nt.

[clang1]

2. Guess he just wasn't the best candidate anyway

Last edited Tue Jun 26, 2012, 09:45 AM - Edit history (3)

and he knows that. It's why he left. With the way I see the power structure there, this is good to me. I am actually glad he left Egypt and if I am right, even a bit tellling on some things. So we'll see.

[EFerrari]

3. No link yet but Amy's colleague Sharif abdel Koudous

gave an extensive rundown at the bottom of the show. He has been in Egypt reporting for DN!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. You just KNOW the first thing he did

was have a sit down with the CIA.

[clang1]

5. Who knows, Who cares....he is not relevant now

Let's see if he pops up again in a year or two...and how things are in Egypt then. Maybe sooner like you write... But hope not.