Egypt's Mubarak hospitalized with heart problems
CAIRO, Egypt
The hospitalization of the 82-year-old former leader came the
same day he was supposed to be questioned by prosecutors. Mubarak
was deposed Feb. 11 after 18 days of popular protests.
Mubarak's two sons were also summoned and were being questioned
at the prosecutor's office in the provincial capital of El-Tor.
Dozens of demonstrators picketed the hospital in the Red Sea
resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, denouncing the president and carrying a
sign reading "Here is the butcher." They scuffled with supporters
of Mubarak amid a massive security presence.
Two security officials said Mubarak arrived under heavy police
protection to the main hospital and, according to two doctors in
the hospital, he stepped out of his armored Mercedes unaided and
was taken to the presidential suite in the pyramid-shaped building.
The officials and doctors spoke on condition of anonymity
because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
The protest movement that deposed Mubarak is now pushing for him
to be brought to justice for what they say are decades of abuse and
since Friday, hundreds have reoccupied parts of Tahrir Square in
downtown Cairo.
The protesters had criticized the army for being too close to
the old regime and not swiftly bringing Mubarak to trial.
On Tuesday, however, a scuffle broke out when some residents
tried to break up the four-day sit-in, removing barbed-wire and
barricades. The army then moved in and took control of the square
and cordoned off the once grassy roundabout that had been the
center of many demonstrations.
Sanaa Seif, a 17-year-old on the scene, said she saw the army
forcibly remove people. Egypt's state news agency reported that the
military police had detained a number of "outlaw thugs" at the
square.
Mubarak has been suffering for a number of ailments and
underwent gallbladder surgery in Germany in March last year.
He has kept a low profile since he was ousted, living on his
compound in Sharm el-Sheikh. He was banned from traveling and his
assets have been frozen. Many of his senior aides have already
either been questioned or detained pending investigations.
Egypt's state TV reported that Safwat el-Sherif, a senior aide
of Mubarak and one of the most powerful men in his regime, was
ordered detained for an additional 15 days pending investigation
into his role in attacks on protesters during the uprising.
El-Sherif had already been remanded into custody for 15 days
pending corruption investigations.
On Sunday, Mubarak defended himself in a pre-recorded message
saying he had not abused his authority, and investigators were
welcome to check over his assets.
It was his first address to the people in the two months since
he stepped down. Shortly after, the prosecutor general issued a
summons for Mubarak to appear for questioning.
Deciding on the site for the interrogation was a dilemma for the
authorities who wanted to grant the ailing president a degree of
privacy and security.