Mohamed Abou Trika (Photo: Reuters)
The government committee assigned to seize the properties and finances of members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood rejected on Monday popular footballer Mohamed Abou-Treika’s petition against freezing his assets.
On Friday, the committee had issued a statement saying it decided to confiscate the assets of Ashab Tours, a tourism company which was co-founded in 2013 by Abou-Treika and an unnamed member of the Brotherhood.
The committee said that the manager of that company, Anas Mohamed Omar El-Kady, is a member of the banned group. It added that El-Kadi, who is currently detained pending trial in Alexandria, is accused of committing "hostile acts against the state."
The committee charged that Ashab's funds were used to finance "terrorist attacks," arguing that the decision to confiscate the company's assets was based on a court ruling related to the trial of El-Kady.
A leading judicial source who serves on the committee told Ahram Online that all Abou-Treika's assets were confiscated and not only his Ashab equity.
In a quick reaction to the rejection of his petition, Abou-Treika tweeted on Monday afternoon: “The last thing I bought with my money was a graveyard…Thanks to everyone who supported me and stood by my side and God forgive all those who have done me injustice and insulted me. I will continue to seek legal procedures.”
Upon hearing of the committee's initial decision against him on Friday, the popular footballer’s had vowed "to never leave Egypt."
The 36-year-old Abou-Treika retired from profesional football in 2014 after leading Egypt’s most successful club Ahly to a host of domestic and continental victories, in addition to remarkable international feats.
The football star supported Mohamed Morsi during the 2012 election but has remained largely tight-lipped about his political allegiances since the ex-president's ouster in 2013.
Public and private media outlets, which have opposed the Brotherhood's rule and their refusal to recognise the post-Morsi government, have regularly accused Abou-Treika of affiliation with the banned group.
Abou-Treika has the legal right to challenge the committee's decision in court.
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