A group called “No to the Gas Setback” has called on Egyptians in Spain to press the authorities to extradite runaway business man Hussein Salem to Egypt. The group fears that Salem may escape as he has been released on a huge bail. Salem, a close friend of deposed President Hosni Mubarak charged with profiting from the Egypt-Israel gas export deal, fled Egypt in February, eight days before Mubarak stepped down following popular protests. Salem was arrested, along with his son and an advisor, in Madrid on Wednesday for alleged involvement in money laundering. He has Spanish citizenship. Spanish authorities froze 32 million euros of his assets believed to have been acquired through illegal activities. They also froze assets in Madrid and Marbella worth 10 million euros, as well as five luxury vehicles. Mohamed al-Sadat, a former parliamentarian and a co-founder of the No to the Gas Setback group, invited Egyptians in Spain to direct protests at judicial authorities conducting investigations into Salem. “Salem's interrogation by Egypt's judiciary is as important as restoring the money,” Sadat said, vowing to unveil further facts about the former regime's links to gas and arms deals, among other issues. Translated from the Arabic Edition
