CAIROA: The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday a Spain’s National Court has agreed to the extradition of Egyptian businessman Hussein Salem on the run, who is on trial for corruption, along held together with former President Hosni Mubarak.
Hussein Salem, a fugitive Egyptian businessman and a close associate to Hosni Mubarak, was arrested in a wealthy Madrid suburb in June and $47 million (euro33 million) of his possessions were frozen as police also seized homes worth $14 million (euro10 million), including some in the jet-set resort of Marbella.
The money was allegedly obtained illegally in Egypt and sent to Salem’s family accounts in Spain, the court order said Friday.
The spokesman of the Ministry Amr Roshdy said in a statement, Spain has informed the Egyptian ambassador in Madrid that a Spanish court “has agreed to hand Hussein Salem and his son Khaled to Egypt.”
The Spanish court is still reviewing an extradition request from the daughter of Mr. Salem, Amr Roshdy said.
Hussein Salem was sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison in October for exploiting after being accused of selling natural gas to Israel at a low price.
He fled to Spain with his son and daughter after protesters revolted against Hosni Mubarak last year.
He is also currently on trial for corruption along with the ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
In June, Spanish police said they had frozen more than 30 million found in accounts banking and property estimated at 10 million euros after the arrest of Mr. Salem, his son and business associate.
Mr. Salem’s detention came after Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for him. Although Mr. Salem also holds Spanish citizenship, Spain is expected to consider a request from Egypt that he be extradited to Cairo to face trial, alongside Mr. Mubarak and other senior officials in the government that was ousted from power in February.
Egyptian prosecutors have accused Mr. Mubarak of using his influence to enable Mr. Salem to buy from the government a large tract of prime land on the Red Sea coast near Sharm el Sheik at a deeply discounted price. In return, the prosecutors have said, Mr. Salem provided the Mubaraks with five luxury villas, including a 161,000-square-foot mansion for Mr. Mubarak worth about $4.5 million.