An Egyptian judicial delegation left for Madrid on Sunday to attend Spanish court sessions on 16 and 19 January, in which the court will review Egypt's request for the extradition of businessman Hussein Salem's offspring, daughter Magda and son Khaled.
Sources expected the court to issue its decision within three days, in accordance with Spanish law. The court has set 9 February as a date for reviewing the request to extradite Salem himself.
A close friend of Hosni Mubarak, Salem fled Spain during Egypt's 25 January uprising last year. After Mubarak's resignation, Egypt called on Interpol to arrest Salem for bribery, abuse of power, and squandering public money. He was then monitored by the Spanish government, which found evidence implicating him in money laundering in Spain.
Assem al-Gohari, the justice minister's deputy for illicit gains and head of the judicial committee for restoring money smuggled out of Egypt, decided that the delegation should attend the court sessions. They will work in collaboration with the Spanish legal firm delegated by the committee to respond to requests related to Salem’s extradition.
Sources said that the lawyer hired by Salem’s son submitted more than 80 requests to halt the review of his extradition request. However, the court rejected tham and allowed the Egyptian judicial committee to respond to those requests that relate to international or Egyptian law.
The Spanish government has expressed readiness to hand over Salem and his offspring without conditions, but decided that the court which he was originally brought to for money laundering must review the case first.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
