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.
