Egypt's Tantawi, Anan not under house arrest

Presidential spokesman denies media reports that Tantawi, Anan - both retired by president on Sunday - are under house arrest Egypt's outgoing defence minister Hussein Tantawi spent Monday at his office at the ministry where he received a number of military commanders, Al-Ahram's Arabic-language news website has reported. An informed source told Al-Ahram that commanders came to salute Tantawi and former military chief-of-staff Sami Anan, both of whom were retired by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Sunday. According to the source, the two military men will soon begin working at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace as advisors to the president. Rumours circulated early Monday that Tantawi and Anan had both been put under house arrest. Morsi spokesman Yasser Ali, however, has strenuously denied the veracity of the claims. On Sunday, Morsi also retired the commanders of Egypt's air forces, naval forces and air-defence forces, appointing them all to civilian posts. According to the informed source, their replacements will be announced on Monday evening or Tuesday. Former naval commander Mohab Memish, meanwhile, was appointed head of Egypt's Suez Canal Authority; former air force commander Reda Hafez was appointed military production minister; and former air-defence commander Abdel-Aziz Seif El-Din was appointed chairman of the Arab Organisation for Industry. From ahramonline