Cairo - A prominent Egyptian-American sociologist and human
rights activist, known for his opposition to the government, has been
advised not to return to Egypt, the Egyptian independent daily al-
Doustour said on Tuesday.
Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim was Tuesday still out of the country
on a trip in Europe and Arab countries. He was not likely to return
to Egypt any time soon, the newspaper said.
Senior public figures and decision-makers had advised Ibrahim not
to return as 'something big' - believed to refer to a case involving
national security - was being planned by the Egyptian government,
according to the report.
Al-Dostour noted that President Hosny Mubarak was outraged at
Ibrahim, holding him responsible for the United States' decision to
freeze 200 million dollars in aid to Egypt.
US Congress, the report said, had reached the decision after
Ibrahim met US President George W Bush in Prague ahead of the recent
G8 summit in the Baltic coastal resort of Heiligendamm in Germany.
Ibrahim later published an account of his Prague encounter with
Bush in in al-Dostour, justifying the act by saying he wanted to be
'transparent.'
The US had earlier approved its annual 200 million dollars for the
Egyptian armed forces on condition that Cairo implement judicial
reform, retrain its police force and strengthen control over the Gaza
border.
Ibrahim, who received a seven-year prison sentence for charges of
espionage and corruption in 2000, has been facing fierce criticism in
Egypt lately.
Earlier this month, Egyptian lawyer Nabil al-Wahsh filed a lawsuit
against him aimed at closing down the Ibn Khaldoun Centre for
Development Studies, over which Ibrahim presides. The case centred
around allegations that Ibrahim had violated the law and the
constitution by seeking help from foreign countries and harmed
Egypt's national interests.
Ruling National Democratic Party member Nabil Luca Bibabwi filed a
similar case against Ibrahim.
Lawyers for the 69-year-old have argued that the real motive
behind the government's alleged persecution of Ibrahim was his
staunch criticism of the Mubarak and his government.
Ibrahim was released before completing his prison sentence. Some
claim this was because of US political pressure.
Ibrahim is currently a professor emeritus of Sociology at the
American University in Cairo, as well as being the founder and chair
of the Cairo-Based Ibn Khaldoun Centre for Social and Political
Studies.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
USA
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