Egypt authorities order arrest of Mubarak-era parliamentary speaker

Judge Yahia Galal, head of Egypt's Illicit Gains Authority (IGA), ordered the arrest of former People’s Assembly speaker Fathi Sorour on Sunday after the latter failed to show up for questioning.   Last Thursday, Judge Montaser Salah, head of the IGA's investigations department, had summoned Sorour for questioning regarding the source of his considerable wealth. Sorour, who served as parliamentary speaker for more than 20 years under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, had claimed that he could not attend for health reasons, prompting Salah to adjourn the session until Sunday. Sorour also failed to show up for Sunday's session, however, leading the IGA to issue a warrant for his arrest. The former stalwart of Mubarak's National Democratic Party and speaker of the People's Assembly (the lower house of Egypt's parliament) was recently released from detention after being acquitted of charges of inciting the murder protesters at the height of last year's uprising in what has become known as the "battle of the camel." From: Ahram Online