Tensions Rise as Egypt Bars Americans, Including U.S. Official’s Son, From Leaving
- Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:41pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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CAIRO (The Blaze/AP) — Egypt banned at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country, including the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood, hiking tensions with Washington over a campaign by Egypt’s military against groups promoting democracy and human rights.
The United States warned Thursday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt‘s transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt’s battered economy needs badly after a year of unrest.
The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including those of two American groups.
The investigation is closely intertwined with Egypt’s political turmoil since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power have accused “foreign hands” of being behind protests against their rule and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.
Egyptian opponents of the military say the generals are trying to smear the protesters in the eyes of the public and silence organizations they fear will undermine their managing of the country.
Also startling is the military’s willingness to clash with its longtime top ally, the United States, over the issue, particularly since the army itself receives more than $1 billion a year from Washington. The December raids brought sharp U.S. criticism, and last week President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Egyptian military chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi to emphasize “the role that these organizations can play in civil society,” according to State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday.
The ban became public after Sam LaHood, Egypt director of the Washington-based International Republican Institute, went to Cairo‘s airport Saturday to catch a flight and was told by an immigration official that he couldn’t leave.
“I asked her why I was denied, she said she didn’t know. I asked how to fix it, and she said she didn’t know,” said LaHood, 36. An hour later, a man in civilian clothes gave him back his passport and escorted him to the curb, LaHood said.
“It’s a dark signal for groups who are interested in doing this kind of work,” he said.
LaHood’s father, a former congressman from Illinois, is the only Republican in Obama’s Cabinet. The elder LaHood declined to comment.
The IRI was among the groups raided last month, along with the National Democratic Institute and a number of Egyptian organizations. Both American groups, linked to the political parties of the same name, monitored Egypt’s recent parliamentary elections. In the raids, troops ransacked 17 offices of the 10 organizations around the country, carting away computers and documents.
The Egyptian government said the raids were part of a legitimate investigation into whether the groups were operating legally.
Sen. John McCain blasted Egypt’s handling of the issue Thursday, warning that continued restrictions on civil society groups “could set back the long-standing partnership between the United States and Egypt.”
IRI and NDI officials said they have been trying since 2005 to register as required by law, but were left in legal limbo, never officially denied nor granted permission. Both groups continued to operate while keeping authorities abreast of their activities, they said. Many Egyptian non-governmental organizations say officials often keep their groups in such limbo to maintain a threat over their heads.
Sam LaHood said he was told by his lawyer that he is under investigation on suspicion of managing an unregistered NGO and receiving “funds” from an unregistered NGO, namely, his salary.
Two other Americans and a European with IRI have also been banned from travel, Lahood said his lawyer had been told. From the National Democratic Institute, three Americans and three Serb employees are also on the list, according to its Egypt director Lisa Hughes.
Hughes, who is among those barred, said she has been interrogated for more than four hours about her group’s work and that she had planned to fly to the U.S. next month before she heard about the ban.
“I think we would be silly not to be concerned,” she said. “We were concerned the moment armed men showed up at our office door, and this has done nothing to calm those concerns.”
The State Department’s top human rights official, Michael Posner, told reporters in Cairo Thursday that such moves could jeopardize U.S. aid to Egypt, one of the biggest recipients.
“All need to have the ability to operate openly, freely, without constraint, not based on the content of their work,” he said.
Posner pointed to recent U.S. legislation that blocks annual aid to Egypt unless it takes certain steps. These include abiding by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, holding free and fair elections and “implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association and religion and due process of law.”
“Obviously, any action that creates tension between our governments makes the whole package more difficult,” Posner said.
The U.S. is due to give $1.3 billion in military assistance and $250 million in economic aid to Egypt in 2012. Washington has given Egypt an average of $2 billion in economic and military aid a year since 1979, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Egypt’s military has been locked in a confrontation for months with protesters who demand it immediately hand over power to civilians.
Hundreds of protesters camped Thursday in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, a day after several hundred thousand people massed there to mark the one-year anniversary of the 18-day anti-Mubarak uprising.
Thursday evening, hundreds moved from Tahrir and rallied in front of the state TV building, beating drums as they chanted for the “liberation” of state-run media from the military’s control. They projected video footage of soldiers beating protesters onto the building.
State TV has been a mouthpiece of the military, broadcasting its accusations against protesters. Activists demand it be restructured as an independent media institution.
“The media is still manipulated and projects the same lies,” said protester Mahmoud Ragab. “We will be here everyday to let them know it is a revolution.”
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Comments (124)
phillipwgirard
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:17pmThis is the Egypt 0bama wanted and supports,,,
Report Post »GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:31pm“I love it when a plan comes together!” – Hannibal Smith, The A – Team
Barry’s favorite quote for the Middle East….
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:37pmIndeed. And the 57 states of the OIC.
Those are the states Obama loves, not our.
Report Post »last frontier
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:47pmObama is just putting the finishing touches on his Jimmy Carter CAKE!
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:50pmTensions Will soon be rising in America when the people learn that that they have been lied to for the past 200 years.
Lincoln declared Martial Law and Emergency powers in 1861 (formally in 1863). With the Exception of a few brief years under Clinton we have been under Martial law since 1861. The Patriot Act and NDAA are just Declarations of something we are already under.
After the Civil war, the Southern Representatives did not return to congress.
Congress was declared ‘sine die’ or ‘without day’. Government was suspended.
The banksters already had enough minions in politics to carry on their agenda.
They appointed people in the abandoned seats and carried on.
They established a Corporation and trademarked the name “United States” with it’s head office in Washington D.C.
In 1913 the Corp. was broke and had to turn to a PRIVATE BANK ( The Federal Reserve ) to stay solvent.
In 1933 the Corp. defaulted on it’s loan and had to declare Bankruptcy.
It pledged the ALL of the Assets of America including it’s Government, land and PEOPLE !!!!
Birth certificates became law in all states in 1933 and Social Security in 1936.
Social Security is a interest-bearing bond held by the receivers of the Bankruptcy.
Those Bondholders are now the U.N.’s IMF.
They began selling off our Country in 1992 when Bush Sr. Signed E.O. #12803, Infrastructure Privatization.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlCs7u1ihws
http://www.teamlaw.net/history.htm
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:05pmRight. Egypt is torqued now that the military realizes how much of this was started by the U.S. Administration. The U.S. Administration is torqued, because they’re about to be called out for it.
Ruh roh, Raggy, looks like Obama/Soros’ plans are about to be exposed!
Report Post »mamawalker
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:20pmand Soros buying up all the gun manufacturing companies as well!
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:21pmWhat we are seeing is the Egyptian military’s last-ditch effort to stop the Islamists Hussein supports. The Egyptian military should realize they will never see Hussein’s money anyway, since they will all be executed or left to rot in prison once the MB officially takes over.
This LaHood guy is even more despicable than Huntsman. He is a RINO traitor who was there to make sure the Muslim Brotherhood gained total control over Egypt, all in the name of democracy. Now that he has achieved his goal, he wants out of the country. I couldn’t care less what happens to him or any other pro-Islamist working for Hussein in Egypt.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:35pmRead: “…pro-Islamist POS…”
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:51pmCan we say hostages and human shields. The cowardly followers of the psychotic pervert and the false god love to hide behind others. They haven’t the courage to stand face to face with their betters. Run and hide little men, your lack of courage will be your downfall……Just sayin’
Report Post »crackerone
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:52pmHopefully they’ll find a couple of hundred code pinkers hiding there!
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 11:12pmSo now we can save a few billion a year. This is a win-win for us taxpayers.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:16pmRon Paul unwittingly supports Sharia and totally, hopelessly, and dangerously ignorant of the Civilizational threat posed by this ancient foe.
Ron Paul does not recognize Jihad as a mechanical process to spread Islam, he see Jihad as a response to perceived ills suffered by the muslims at the hands of stupid Americans.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:14pm“The United States warned Thursday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt‘s transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt’s battered economy needs badly after a year of unrest.”
Report Post »——————————————————
Democracy? Most of the elected are MB. No foreign aid AT ALL!!
copatriots
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:21pmAgreed, ANON! Makes me sick to think of the tragedy of 9/11 and the shallow slogan “We Will Never Forget” as we help these terrorists gain power and control…….all the while continuing to buy our oil from them and funding their insanity.
We deserve the future our “representatives” are dooming on us.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:14pmOh well; enemy-obama wanted Egypt in turmoil, and it appears that his dreams have come true. Want to blame someone for this? Look no further than the enemy within.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:14pmSeems like a good time to send in Seal Team 6. I bet they can get them out!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:53pmWe need Seal Team 6 to rescue our military and Border Patrol from Obama before we try to get a politicians son out of Egypt.
Report Post »hogtrashhd
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:09pmhooray for the Arab spring or whatever it was suppose to be…good to see reality is kicking the dems in their head…. hardy har har… vote for obama again….
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:17pmGood time to cut 100,000 troops .. right Obummer.
OMG .. Obama MUST Go 2012
Report Post »TexasHunter
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:33pmDon’t worry our joke of a VP will call them in a Arab voice and say “you must set the Americans free now”
Report Post »CtznRespondent
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:08pmHahahahaha, “Egypt’s transition to Democracy”. Hahahaha. Nobody can be that stupid. My dog knows better than that. The only thing more stupid would be to give those people billions of US taxpayer dollars. Oooops, “The U.S. is due to give $1.3 billion in military assistance and $250 million in economic aid to Egypt in 2012″. Okay, I stopped laughing. God help us!
Report Post »Zcat
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:07pmI’ve listened to Obama and all the democrats praise Arab Spring and the democracy thats come out of the Arab Spring in Egypt. In fact they’ve all embraced this movement. Nothing to see here…move along folks!
Report Post »barber2
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 6:12pmGuess if you love Communism , you gotta love a “revolution ! ” Maybe that’s why our Occupiers and their Anarchist branch are having so much fun in those Democrat cities.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:06pmEgypt has fallen to the Islamic Empire…that so many still deny exists.
It is going to be so sad to watch the muslims jihad all over what is left of this once might, truly awe-inspiring Civilization.
Killed by muslims engaged in Jihad in praise of their deity Allah and in the way of their warlord leader, Mohammed.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:05pmGLENN WAS RIGHT… again…
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:12pmMany people have been pointing out the dangers of Jihad for far longer than Glenn and with far more honesty.
Islamic culture is the antithesis of everything free men and women hold dear. We have invited our mortal enemy into our house and now are too weak to do what must be done to prevent our demise by this insane culture of killers.
Deport all muslims, outlaw Islam, close down the mosques (garrisons). Deport, deport, deport.
Enemies domestic; muslims engaged in jihad.
Report Post »Zcat
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 8:40pmYep! I love Beck, my money is on him always!
Report Post »emty44
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:01pmI remember a certain someone saying to watch for just this thing last year. When are Americans going to wake up to what is going on?
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:00pmEverything is fine. Nothing to see here. Move along….
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:23pmThose are the type of countries that really draws the tourist and intellectuals. They just can’t wait to get there, can we send our college ellites to check the situation out, let’s send them first class.
Report Post »Uncle Tom
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:59pmWTF! We give them a $1,000,000,000 a year? For their military?!
Report Post »bassist237
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:27pmYeah, no doubt, and then we decide to decrease the size of ours to help with budget cuts… wtf is wrong with our politicians. Oh yeah, no to mention they’re free to break any laws they create, their children are forgiven for all of their student loans, they only have to serve one term to receive a full retirement pension and that is just the TIP of the damn polar caps they sit on. Republicans, Democrats, all are out to fill their own greedy pockets, it’s not wall street, it’s not big business, who do you think makes all the BS laws that govern big businesses and their practices? If you were to take EVERY SINGLE PENNY that the 8300 or so people in America who made over 10 million in one year and reclaim all of their assets, we would have 8/10ths of 1% of our national debt. ITS THE SPENDING WASHINGTON.. HELLO!? You can’t just go out there and claim that taxing all the rich people will help with anything, because it won’t, you people (washington) need to grow the hell up and stop spending money like it grows on trees (except in their case it comes from a printer). Idiots, all of them. I say stop giving money to other countries (especially ones that HATE us), and FIX OUR OWN damn problems first.
Report Post »MittensKittens
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:58pmShould have assisted Mubarak staying in power, now look at the mess Oblunder got us into…
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:57pm.
Report Post »LMAO….What can one say?…….
Wurlitzer28
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:56pmI’ll say one thing for these sand monkeys they are consistently ignorant. The fact they CLAIM they want democracy shows once again their ignorance of democracy. A democracy only guarantees that the majority will have full unlimited power over any minority.
Report Post »NancyBee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:52pmTo BO…….how’s that “ Arab Spring ” working for you?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:02pmI’ll be watching the State Controlled Media tonight to see if this story is aired. And if it isn’t? Then we, as American Patriots, may want to get together, go to our local affiliate TV stations, and take flamethrowers to ‘em!!!!
And to anyone here that voted for this train wreck, GTH!!!
Report Post »Lamarr01
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:46pmOur President, who is NOT a Muslim, gave an inspiring speech to the Muslim world from Cairo University on June 4, 2009. It’s difficult to believe that one man can be so wrong about so many things.
The attack on the USS Enterprise near the Strait of Hormuz will mark the beginning of WW III.
Report Post »republic2011
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:51pmOh. They are such a peaceful lot. I can see what our Administration is saying now. Time for the Administration to eat their own dog food.
Report Post »kspatriot
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:50pmWhere’s the story on Obama IGNORING A SUBPOENA to appear in court today? For a blow by blow accounting of the Georgia hearing held today regarding Obama’s eligibility to be on the Georgia ballot go here. http://www.thenationalpatriot.com/?p=4138 Also, this story from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/no-ruling-in-birther-1318374.html
Report Post »copatriots
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:49pmOh, the irony! The Transportation Czar‘s son can’t get transportation out of the country of our new allies who we recently helped liberate. Priceless.
Any American is Egypt is asking to be a victim.
Report Post »libtardian-refugee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:00pmBulls eye buddy, I love it
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:49pm@Egypt…I hope you ain’t counting on tourism dollars to finance your crappy country.
Report Post »emty44
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:05pmNo they are just using the $2,000,000,000 they get from our stupid government….
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:27pmThey get nothing from our government
Report Post »They get it for TAXPAYERS
The Eleventh Doctor
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:48pmOh, but do remember! This is what democracy looks like, after all!
Report Post »T-2
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:53pmWhat does Democracy look like? This is what Democracy look like!
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:30pmThat is what will happen here when obama’s is beat in November — he will not sit by and leave office without a fight……….
Report Post »lajari
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:47pmWhy would our politicians be alarmed or surprised by this? Anyone of any cognitive abilities know how this “Arab Spring”/Occupy Wall Street/SEIU thugs and other happenings will end up. Has the White House and Washington D.C turned into a place where we send people with no logical thinking abilities?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:27pmTotally agree with you. I am not a seasoned diplomat but I figured that the Arab Spring is just another term for Islamic Caliphate. Feel sorry for the young Egyptians who fought for a ” democracy.” The religious fanatics / the haters used them, just as the Marxist anti-capitalism haters here are using our young, to topple the government which they hated because it was too ” Western.” These young people are going to learn the meaning of real repression. Fear they have a long way to go in their quest for democracy.
Report Post »TEARS FOR AMERICA
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:47pmI would not go to Egypt, period. Too much of a risk.
Report Post »libtardian-refugee
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 5:01pmI’ll bet Lara Logan would agree
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on January 26, 2012 at 4:46pmObama’s will be their leader when we vote him out of the white house, Am suprised that they have not made us change trhe name from white house to black house
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