CAIRO: Thousands of armed thugs were sent to Tahrir Square, where masses had gathered peacefully to demonstrate, on the orders of former NDP Secretary-General Sawfat al-Sherif, a committee discovered. The fact-finding committee, tasked with investigating the shooting of demonstrators during the 25 January revolution, will submit its report to Attorney-General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud, reported Al Masry Al Youm. The report might prove the involvement of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, his son Gamal, and other officials of the formerly ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) in the violence against anti-Mubarak demonstrations in late January and early February. This comes as part of a general persecution of NDP leaders and ex-collaborators of ousted President Mubarak. Former Interior minister Habib al-Adly already appeared in front of the court few days ago. He is charged with corruption and money laundering. El-Adly is also widely believed to have ordered the opening of several prisons in Egypt, in a bid to foment chaos in the country following ongoing demonstrations by anti-Mubarak supporters. Videos broadcast by AL Jazeera showed also prisoners willing to stay in jail and serve their sentence. Others testified they had been threatened with death if they did not leave the prisons. Attorny-General Mahmoud also requested that funds of Hosni Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal and his wife Suzanne be freezed, few weeks ago. His request was approved by the Court on Tuesday. BM
