The U.S. administration will oppose any additional foreign aid for Egypt to protest the prosecution of human rights campaigner and academician, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, administration sources told The Washington Post.
The Ibrahim case makes it "impossible" for the administration to contemplate extra money for Egypt, according to a White House official who said President Bush would soon advise Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak in writing of his decision. Existing aid programs will not be affected, the newspaper reported Thursday.
Bush's move to attack Mubarak and link Egypt's human rights situation to economic aid is a major shift in policy toward a longtime ally considered essential to U.S. attempts to calm the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and remove Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the newspaper added.
At this stage, Bush's letter will have mainly symbolic value for Egypt, which will continue to receive its annual allocation of some $2 billion in U.S. assistance. The Mubarak government had been lobbying for an extra $130 million after a congressional vote to grant Israel $200 million in anti-terrorism funds.
Egyptian authorities charged that Ibrahim, 63, embezzled funds, tarnished Egypt's image and received foreign funds without permission. The European Union, which gave money to Ibrahim, said it is satisfied the funds were used as intended.
Ibrahim, a university professor who holds Egyptian and American passports, was arrested soon after he suggested that Mubarak might be preparing to anoint his son to replace him. Late last month, he was sentenced to 7 years in prison.
Egyptian government spokesmen stated that Ibrahim's trial was fair, the judges ruled independently, and Mubarak cannot change the result. One official defended the verdict this week and said, "Once [a case enters] the Egyptian judicial system, you can't interfere." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
