Egyptian former minister, state TV chairman arrested on corruption allegations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Egyptian authorities on Feb 24 arrested the country's former information minister and the chairman of state TV and radio on corruption allegations, security officials said.

The arrests of Anas al-Fiqqi and Osama el-Sheikh are the latest steps Egypt's ruling generals have taken against prominent figures in the regime of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, who handed power to the military when he stepped down Feb. 11.

Former Information Minister al-Fiqqi was a confidante of Mubarak and his powerful, one-time heir apparent son Gamal. Under their stewardship, state TV persistently discredited the young organizers of the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to step down after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

Their arrest followed the imposition Feb 23 of a travel ban on a former prime minister and an ex-minister who handled the nation's cultural affairs for more than 25 years. El-Sheikh also was banned from leaving the country on Wednesday, together with nine businessmen.

Al-Fiqqi has already been placed under house arrest pending the completion of a corruption probe.

The officials who announced the arrests spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, AP reported.