CAIRO: Former Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Obeid and a number of other officials began their torial over allegedly selling an island nature preserve in the country to a close business associate to former President Hosni Mubarak. Obeid, who was PM for 5 years before Ahmed Nazif took over in 2004, has been formally charged along with former Agriculture Minister Youssef Wali and three other officials of selling the island to Egyptian businessman Hussein Salem, who is also being tried in absentia. Salem remains in Spain despite Egyptian calls for his extradition. The next court session is scheduled for November 19. It is the latest trial of former top officials since Mubarak was ousted in February after 18 days of massive street protests forced him out. Prosecutors have been constantly investigating former business deals with officials and a large number of Egyptians affiliated with the former regime have been sentenced to prison. Following the uprising, Salem fled to Spain, where he has been in jail for three months after being arrested on an international warrant. Obeid was arrested in July. The island of Al-Bayadiya, covering about 36 acres, lies near the major tourist center of Luxor in the south of Egypt. BM
