AFP PHOTO / Stringer
Secretary General of the Freedom and Justice Party’s branch in Cairo, Mohamed Al-Beltagy fired back at allegations put forth by arrested alleged crime boss Sabry Helmy Nakhnoukh, who submitted a CD to the prosecution. Nakhnoukh claims the CD contains incriminating public comments made by Al-Beltagy directing the Interior Ministry to arrest him.
“The thug Nakhnoukh accuses and threatens me!” said Al-Beltagy in a statement on his Facebook page, “Finally the battle has moved between us and the Mubarak regime, from Habib Al-Adly, Omar Suleiman and Ahmed Shafiq to Mostafa Bakry, Ahmed Zanad and then to Tawfik Okasha, Mohamed Abu Hamed and finally to the “Prince of Thugs” Sabry Nakhnoukh. Thus the regime utters its last breath.”
The prominent FJP member also said he had asked high-ranking officials in the Interior Ministry about Nakhnoukh months ago, and they had acknowledged his known role in organising crime groups that incited violence.
In his statement Al-Beltagy also urged investigation of Nakhnoukh’s ties to past clashes at Maspero, Mohamed Mahmoud, Port Said, and the Cabinet.
In a short interview on Al-Hayat, Nakhnoukh claimed his arrest was politically motivated and facilitated by the FJP due to his previous dealings with the Mubarak government. He maintained that the firearms and animals found at his residence are licensed and legally obtained.
Police found five lions, four horses, six dogs, and an ostrich in his garden.
Preliminary investigations by police indicate Nakhnoukh used a floor of his villa for work, while one floor served as a nightclub and a third floor was comprised of five chambers that were used to facilitate prostitution. The villa’s top floor was reportedly under construction.
Nakhnoukh is being held for prosecution with 16 associates in Alexandria after police raided his King Mariout villa. He is being investigated for a wide range of crimes including “thuggery,” possession of unlicensed weapons, drug dealing, operating a prostitution business, and the possession of unlicensed animals. Security forces found automatic weapons, ammo, hashish, and copious amounts of alcohol.
