The People's Assembly on Monday turned down a request that independent MP Mostafa Bakry be referred to a parliamentary investigation for insulting reform advocate and former International Atomic Energy Agency Director Mohamed ElBaradei. Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatny ordered to close the request Monday. It had been filed by 32 MPs after the majority of the members voted against it. Before holding a vote on the request, Katatny repeated what Bakry said about ElBaradei. Bakry defended himself by saying that he did not say ElBaradei was a “traitor” and an “agent” but that he rather said that he “encourages traitors and agents,” adding that there is a great difference between the two sentences. Bakry said that he acquired documents that prove that ElBaradei has instigated unrest among the Egyptian people, adding that he has a file listing all financial transfers made to organizations working in Egypt. Bakry did not give details on which organizations he was referring to. MP Mohamed Abu Hamed spoke on behalf of the MPs who filed the request, saying that any accusation of treason or collusion with foreign bodies endangers a person's life. Wafd Party MP Ahmed Mahmoud Attallah disagreed, saying that Bakry's statement did not constitute libel. On 6 February, Parliament discussed protests around the Interior Ministry. Bakry said the protests would eventually bring down the state. He went on to criticize what he described as “America's agents mobilized by Mohamed ElBaradei” who want to overthrow the Egyptian state. Bakry had ambiguous relations with the former regime. He has criticized former National Democratic Party Secretary Ahmed Ezz but also defended former President Mubarak before his ouster. Since the military council took power, Bakry has attacked Mubarak while praising the military junta in Al-Osboa, where he serves as editor-in-chief, and on his talk show, which is run on private satellite channels.
