CAIRO: Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris, whose family controls Orascom corporate empire, said during a phone call to CNN channel on Tuesday that he did not bankroll the opposition against former President Mohamed Morsi, saying that his party the Free Egyptians Party simply supported the Tamarod campaign by offering them logistical supports and collecting signature for them.
“June 30, was a popular movement against a dictator who decided to turn Egypt to a religious state, the one who opened jails for all the terrorists who killed [late President Anwar] Sadat, after that, Egyptians decided to pursue a roadmap, and the first step was today- to vote on a constitution that equally reflects all categories of the Egyptian people: elders, women, and children, as well as Muslims and Christians” Sawiris said.
He added that the constitutional referendum was well organized and secured, “It was like a festival. Only the minority was upset, so they boycotted the constitution” Sawiris stated.
He accused Al Jazeera news of inciting the violence in Egypt when they reported that journalists were prevented from covering the referendum. “All Egyptians are shocked at the lowness of the level of what is broadcasted about Egypt on Al Jazeera TV. They are fabricating stories,” he added.
“After Mr. Morsi was ousted by the people, we were confronted with a wave of terror acts like the lynching of 21 Egyptian soldiers, the bombing of the police station, killing innocent people, shooting people and the bombing of Imbaba court. The Egyptian people are furious at this terror from the Muslim Brotherhood. People are alienated that this was the reaction, instead of working in the light, accepting reconciliation and working as a decent political party. They have instead gone back to their roots of terror, bombing and killing” Sawiris said.
He ended his phone interview saying, “I am the first one who defends the rights of any Muslim Brotherhood member who wants to express his right in a legal manner, not resorting to terror or threatening people who are going to vote. We finally have a new law in Egypt for demonstrations, so you need to take permission to go on in a protest. This law is already applied around the whole world and did not ban protests but merely regulated them.”
