A state-owned Egyptian newspaper reported on Wednesday that Hosni Mubarak was
being treated in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, the latest media report about the
ex-president’s medical situation since the army denied earlier speculation about
Mubarak’s ill health.
The army could not be reached for comment on the
report, printed in the
Al- Akhbar daily.
RELATED:Jehan Sadat: Egypt-Israel peace treaty not in danger at allEgypt imposes travel ban on Mubarak, familyA military source had denied on
Tuesday another media report, which said Mubarak, 82, had tried to flee Egypt
with his family but was later hospitalized in Cairo.
Wednesday’s edition
of
Al-Akhbar quoted “sources informed about the news,” saying Mubarak was in
the Saudi city of Tabuk receiving chemotherapy for one hour, every five days, to
treat colon and pancreatic cancer. His family was reportedly with him in the
private wing of the military hospital.
Before Mubarak stepped down on
February 11, a report about Mubarak’s health in a major state newspaper such as
Al-Akhbar would have been unthinkable unless given the official nod, even if
official sources were not named. But since his departure, state media has become
more probing about officials and the way Egypt is governed, apparently reacting
to public anger over their previous failure to hold officials to account.
Sourcing for state newspaper reports is not always clear.
Since he
stepped down following a wave of anti-government protests, Egyptian officials
have said Mubarak was in the Red Sea resort of Sharm e-Sheikh. The staterun
paper
Al-Gomhuria ran a feature story on its front page on Gamal Mubarak, whom
the paper alleged was seen during last Friday prayers “depressed and [with] a
long beard.” The younger Mubarak was reportedly seen praying among workers and
bodyguards in the Sharm e- Sheikh villa of Egyptian businessman Hussein
Salem.
Salem is a partner of Israeli businessman Yosef Maiman in the East
Mediterranean Gas Company, which has a virtual monopoly on Egyptian natural gas
sales to Israel. Late last month Salem was caught in Dubai carrying $500
million in cash, and some news reports have suggested that the former Egyptian
intelligence officer may be acting as Mubarak’s frontman and courier.
