Egypt puts former presidential candidate Shafiq on watch list

Egypt placed former premier Ahmed Shafiq, who left Egypt amid a corruption probe after losing to Mohammed Mursi in a bitterly fought presidential election, on a watch list and given a travel ban, a judicial source said on Wednesday.

“The investigative judge decided to put General Ahmed Shafiq’s name on the watch and travel ban lists based on investigations over his illegal allocation of 40,000 square meters of land... to Alaa and Gamal Mubarak,” Judge Osama el-Saeidy said, according to Reuters news agency.

Shafiq, a former air force chief appointed prime minister by president Hosni Mubarak before his overthrow early last year, is under investigation for an allegedly illegal sale of state land to Mubarak’s sons.

He traveled to the United Arab Emirates after losing the presidential race to Mursi in June’s election. Shafiq’s spokesman said at the time that he would return to Egypt and form a party.

A source said it was unclear what would happen to Shafiq if he returned. In the past, people placed on the watch list have been detained on arrival.

A number of former regime officials, including Mubarak himself, have been convicted of corruption or killing protesters during the 18-day uprising that unseated the dictator.

Mubarak’s party leader and senate speaker Safwat al-Sharif was on Wednesday referred to trial along with his two sons for allegedly making 600 million pounds (roughly $100 million) in illicit gains.