After Egyptian protesters succeeded in removing former president Hosni Mubarak, the wealth stashed by the authoritarian leader and his associates abroad is in the eye of the storm now. With Switzerland already freezing any assets of Mubarak, Britain said on Tuesday that it would consult with its European allies on a request from the new authorities in Egypt to freeze the assets of ?several former officials? in the Mubarak government.
William Hague, the British foreign secretary, did not name the officials in his statement to the House of Commons, nor did he indicate whether Mubarak or members of his family were among them. But he confirmed on Monday that Britain was ready to act on the request after a review of the issue at a meeting of European finance ministers in Brussels that was scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
?We will of course cooperate with this request, working with our European and other international partners, as we have done in the case of Tunisia,? Hague said. ?If there is any evidence of illegality or misuse of state assets, we will take firm and prompt action.?
The British statement came as Hague, reporting on a trip that took him to several of Egypt?s Arab neighbours last week, though not Egypt, said Britain stood ready to assist the new Egyptian leaders in making ?a successful transition to a broad-based government.? Britain?s handling of the extensive financial assets and property said to have been built up there by members of the government during. Mubarak?s 30-year rule seems likely to be an early test of that pledge.
Brotherhood to set up party
Muslim Brotherhood says it will set up a political party once restrictions are lifted that prevented it and other groups from doing so under President Hosni Mubarak. The Islamist group said in a statement it had declared its desire to a set up a party many years ago but was stopped by the political parties law, one of many curbs on political activity during Mubarak’s rule.