EGYPT: Ashraf Marwan the Son-in-law of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser is buried in Cairo

Record ID: 709695

  • Title: EGYPT: Ashraf Marwan the Son-in-law of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser is buried in Cairo
  • Date: 2nd July 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) INDEPENDENT MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND EDITOR IN CHIEF OF AL-OSBOA NEWSPAPER, MUSTAFA BAKRI, SAYING: "Ashraf Marwan carried out his mission and died a martyr, and in fact was murdered at the hands of the Israeli Mossad and it will be proven that he was murdered, because it is not possible that a man of his standing would kill himself for no reason."
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7FTF67OBSVNTVLZ0ZHC96LRDC
  • Story Text: A state funeral was held in Egypt on Sunday ( July 1) for Asraf Marwan, the son-in-law of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, who died in London last week.
    Despite the accusations of espionage against Ashraf Marwan, his funeral was attended by a raft of senior Egyptian officials, including Gamal Mubarak, the son of Egypt's President, as well as Marwan's widow, Mona Abdel Nasser and her brother Khaled Abdel Nassar.
    Marwan, who served in various roles in the Egyptian government over many years, died after falling off of his balcony in London, where he had been living for many years and was a successful businessman.
    There has been widespread skepticism about the circumstances of the 62 year-old Marwan's death after he was named by Israeli officials as a source for Mossad. At the time of his death the Egyptian state media reported that he "lost his balance" before a fatal fall.
    At his funeral today, Egypt's minister of petroleum, Sameh Fahmy, lauded his service to his country.
    "[He was] one of the sons of Egypt that had a long period of service to Egypt as we saw in the periods that he served, in those long years. And God willing his service was a success, and may God have mercy on him," he said.
    The Israeli media had reported that Marwan had passed a warning to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency on the eve of the 1973 Middle East war that Egypt and Syria were about to attack.
    The Times of London reported that Marwan, 62, had feared for his life after he was publicly accused of being a spy for Mossad three years ago, but said there was also speculation that he may have committed suicide after a serious illness was diagnosed.
    Egypt's MENA news agency quoted a source close to the family as saying Marwan suffered from balance problems recently and had been using a cane but had a "strong will" despite health issues.
    However others have contended that Marwan was a double agent who tried to mislead Israel about exact timing of the 1973 war, and today some Egyptian officials at the funeral suggested Mossad had been responsible for his death.
    Mustafa Bakri, an independent member of Parliament and editor-in-chief of al-Osboa, an opposition weekly newspaper, said that Ashraf Marwan was a hero who had paid a heavy price for his valour.
    "Ashraf Marwan carried out his mission and died a martyr, and in fact was murdered at the hands of the Israeli Mossad and it will be proven that he was murdered, because it is not possible that a man of his standing would kill himself for no reason," he said.
    The British police have said they are looking into Marwan's death and that it was being treated as "unexplained" but not suspicious.
    Marwan worked as a senior information official for both Abdel Nasser and his successor, President Anwar Sadat, but Egyptian media have said he also had intelligence duties.
    Gad Shimron, a former Mossad officer turned historian, said Marwan had warned Israel hours before the Egyptian attack in 1973 but Israel decided not to order a general mobilisation.
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