Egyptian newspapers today covered the following stories: former regime members have been allowed mobile phone use in their cells; son of late Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser compared his father to ousted President Hosni Mubarak; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs visit to Washington. Youm7 Youm7 today revealed that imprisoned former regime leaders are using mobile phones inside Torah Prison to communicate with their families, a clear violation of the law. Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, sons of former President Hosni Mubarak, and Ismail al-Shaer, former Assistant Interior Minister, used their mobile phones both to send congratulations to their families during feasts and before trial hearings. Several SIM cards were found inside their cells during an Interior Ministry inspection campaign. The demands to apply Islamic Hadd punishment are a narrow expression of Islamic rules, said Sheikh Habib Ali Jafri, an Islamic preacher. He urged those making the claims to make policy religious, not to make religion political. He also considers Al-Azhar the best solution for the current period. It represents the most moderate and responsible trend, he added. Al-Ahram The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) issued a constitutional statement on September 25 imposing party lists – both for individuals and third parties – for legislative elections. The SCAF also reformed some of the Shura Council and People's Assembly laws. SCAF announced that political parties can begin their election campaigns on October 12, and the elections for the Shura Council and the People's Assembly will be held on November 29 and November 28, respectively. The election will be held in three phases. Al-Masry Al-Youm The Marks newspaper revealed that former Israeli Mossad Chief Shavit Hitay received U.S. $11 million in compensation for the contract between Israel and Egypt to export gas. Shavit was working for IMG Company, which included Israeli and American businessmen as well as Egyptian fugitive businessman Hussein Salem. Shavit convinced former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2004 to make the deal between Egypt, and not with a British company. Al-Akhbar Abdul Hakim Gamal, son of late Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser, today said that his father lived and died for poor people, and those who claim that his regime abrogated freedom are liars. Gamal also compared his late father with former President Hosni Mubarak. Millions of people bid farewell to Abdul Nasser; the same happened at the end of the Mubarak era, he claims. “Abdul Nasser lived a normal life like any citizen, not like a President,” Gamal said. Hakim also asked the Egyptian people to be careful and protect the January 25 Revolution. Al-Shorouq Syrian National Council member Basma Qada'ey today said that the protestors will not negotiate with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or his regime and the Syrian Revolution will succeed. “I did not imagine that the Arab Spring would arrive in Syria because the regime would never give any opposition a chance,” he said. The Syrian National Council succeeded in unifying opposition forces in Syria, he claims. Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs today visited Washington to discuss U.S. military aid to Egypt. The visit was as a result of the U.S. decision to impose conditions on military aid to Egypt. Al-Gomhorreya Grand Shiekh of Alrvaih Method Yaseen Refaey today joined the Free Egyptian Party. The Free Egyptian Party is the greatest party and includes prominent members who can reveal true methods of Islam, he said.
