Committee rejects second petition by footballer Abou-Treika to unfreeze assets

The government committee assigned to seize the properties and finances of members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood rejected on Sunday a second petition by popular footballer Mohamed Abou-Treika to unfreeze his assets.

The committee also rejected Abou-Treika’s first appeal, prompting him to file an ongoing court case against the decision.

Earlier in May, the committee had issued a statement saying it decided to confiscate the assets of Ashab Tours, a tourism company which was co-founded in 2013 by Abou-Treika and an unnamed member of the Brotherhood.

The committee said that the manager of that company, Anas Mohamed Omar El-Kady, is a member of the banned group. It added that El-Kadi, who is currently detained pending trial in Alexandria, is accused of committing “hostile acts against the state.”

The committee charged that Ashab’s funds were used to finance “terrorist attacks,” arguing that the decision to confiscate the company’s assets was based on a court ruling related to the trial of El-Kady.

Abou-Treika had previously vowed “to never leave Egypt.”

The 36-year-old retired from professional football in 2014 after leading Egypt’s most successful club Ahly to a host of domestic and continental victories, in addition to remarkable international feats.

The football star supported Mohamed Morsi during the 2012 election but has remained largely tight-lipped about his political allegiances since the ex-president’s ouster in 2013.

Public and private media outlets, which have opposed the Brotherhood’s rule and their refusal to recognise the post-Morsi government, have regularly accused Abou-Treika of affiliation with the banned group.

Source :Ahram online