Authorities also referred to trial two former Cabinet ministers and a one-time top official of Mubarak's political party. They will face corruption charges, the officials said.

Thursday's arrests of Anas Al-Fiqqi, the ex-information minister, and Osama El-Sheikh, the state TV boss, were widely expected. Al-Fiqqi was placed under house arrest earlier this month and El-Sheikh was banned from traveling abroad Wednesday, steps that often precede a criminal investigation or a trial.

Al-Fiqqi was a confidant of Mubarak and his powerful, one-time heir apparent son Gamal. Under his and El-Sheikh's stewardship, state TV persistently discredited the young organizers of the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to hand power to the military after nearly 30 years of authoritarian rule.

The security officials said the Al-Fiqqi investigation looked into the fate of 2 million pounds (about $340,000) he collected in donations to support of a film festival in Cairo. Al-Fiqqi never presented documents explaining how he spent the money, said the officials.

El-Sheikh, said the officials, allegedly used state money to privately produce TV programs.

The arrest of the two followed Wednesday's imposition of a travel ban on a former prime minister — Atef Obeid, who served from 1999 to 2004 — and longtime former Culture Minister Farouq Hosni. The ban on leaving the country was also slapped on nine businessmen and El-Sheikh.

Also Thursday, authorities referred former Housing Minister Ahmed Maghrabi and steel tycoon and prominent ruling party leader Ahmed Ezz to trial along with Rashid Mohammed Rashid, a former trade and commerce minister. Also going to trial are the ex-chairman of a media group that publishes a state newspaper and three businessmen.

The officials said all of them are facing charges of illegally amassing wealth and squandering state funds. No trial date has been set.

Meanwhile, a committee amending Egypt's constitution before parliamentary and presidential elections will meet the military council running the country on Saturday to discuss the proposed amendments, one member told Reuters.

The 10-member committee submitted its final proposal on Thursday to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which it will meet Saturday, at the end of the 10-day period it was given to draft the changes.

The key amendments will dismantle the legal mechanisms which kept Mubarak and his ruling party in power for 30 years.