CAIRO: Local press is shock-full of reports on the interrogation and detention of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and his two sons Alaa and Gamal.
State-owned newspaper Al-Ahram Daily, in a bold headline expressed how Egyptians are overjoyed about the detention of the regime’s figureheads and how justice is being served, accompanied by a caricature of Mubarak behind bars.
“In an unprecedented move in the history of Egypt, Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmoud ordered the detention of the former president and his sons for 15 days pending investigations,” the report read, going on to explain how Mubarak and his wife, Suzanne, have remained in his hospital room in Sharm El-Shiekh and had no visitors.
The article explained how the move reassured the public and reflected positively on Egypt’s economy.
Independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm recounted leaks from the interrogations and the transfer of Mubarak’s sons to Torah prison from Sharm El-Shiekh.
The three face numerous allegations of corruption, abuse of public finds, killing protestors and terrorizing citizens.
According to Al-Masry Al-Youm, during the interrogation, the former president denied giving orders to shoot or beat demonstrators, and said that he ordered the army to take control on Jan. 28 to protect the citizens.
When asked what he knew about the protests which started on Jan. 25, Mubarak reportedly said he was aware that some young people have been demonstrating in several governorates about economic conditions, but that he did not give any orders and was only receiving reports on the situation.
The president was interrogated at his room at the Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital in the presence of his lawyer, Farid El-Deeb.
According to the newspaper, Mubarak said he only made one call to former Minister of Interior Habib El-Adly in which he told him to deal carefully with the protestors and make sure no outsiders infiltrate them to destroy the country.
“If any of the Ministry of Interior officials mentioned my name in the interrogations then they’re lying,” Mubarak said.
He reportedly said that he wanted to step down on the fourth day of demonstrations but that his advisors told him not to do so to avoid a state of turmoil and chaos.
“I suggested addressing the nation on TV to let them know that I’ll be stepping down once the situation is stable but Zakaria Azmi and others confirmed that the people do not want me to step down, they only want reform and a cabinet change, so I agreed,” Mubarak said, as stated in Al-Masry Al-Youm.
When Alaa and Gamal Mubarak arrived in Torah prison, prisoners reportedly chanted “Where is the media, the president’s sons are here” and “Gamal tell your father, the prisoners love you,” as well as calling for the president to join them.
It was El-Adly who first asked to meet Alaa and Gamal and stayed with them for 10 minutes, followed by Ahmed Ezz who spent 20 minutes with them.
Independent daily Al-Dostor ran reaction stories on the detention of the ousted regime’s leaders.
Judges agreed in one report that it was mandatory that Mubarak be dealt with as a regular prisoner and be transferred to the prison hospital.
