Galloway refused entry to Egypt

BBC News Online ^ | 4th Feb 2006 | BBC

[Brit_Guy]

MP George Galloway has been barred from entering Egypt by security officials. He had flown to the Middle East after being invited to take part in an event against the war in Iraq, his Respect party said.

The politician left the UK on Friday night but was refused entry into the country and was held all night in a cell, according to his spokesman.

The Bethnal Green and Bow MP was detained "on grounds of national security" on arrival.

Mr Galloway was stopped on arrival at 2200 GMT at Cairo airport.

He had travelled to Egypt to give evidence at a "mock trial" of Tony Blair and US President George Bush.

It was organised by the anti-war movement and is one of several such events to have taken place recently, including in New York last week, Respect said.

Mr Galloway is expected to fly back to the UK from Cairo on Saturday.

'Cause of peace'

Mr Galloway has visited Egypt many times as part of his anti-war campaigning.

A spokesman for Respect said Mr Galloway has been a critic of Mubarak "and of other pro-western governments in the Middle East".

He added: "Mubarak of course enjoys very warm relations with George Bush and Tony Blair.

"The Respect Party deplores the decision of the Mubarak government to bar entry to a British MP visiting Egypt purely for the purposes of promoting the cause of peace."

[Brit_Guy]

Nice one Egypt.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Everybody sing:

Nah nah nah nah! Nah nah nah nah! Hey hey goodbye!

What a dufus!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

How was he dressed...?

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The Egyptians used to worship cats.

Galloway imitated a cat on a TV show.

You'd think they'd welcome him with open arms.

Ah, well. Mr. Galloway is discovering that he won't have many friends left in those countries that are our "allies" as the expiration date of Iran's regime looms closer.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The Egyptians used to worship cats.

Galloway imitated a cat on a TV show.

You'd think they'd welcome him with open arms.

Ah, well. Mr. Galloway is discovering that he won't have many friends left in those countries that are our "allies" as the expiration date of Iran's regime looms closer.

[wheelright]

"The politician left the UK on Friday night but was refused entry into the country and was held all night in a cell,..."

Well, at least they were diplomatic enough to provide him with accomodations appropriate to his status.

[mewzilla]

The Egyptians used to worship cats.

Galloway imitated a cat on a TV show.

You'd think they'd welcome him with open arms.

Let Galloway in? Bastet would not be amewsed.

[rod1]

Poor George. Booted from the BB house digs and now he can't even get in the front door in Egypt.

[rod1]

Guess they were unimpressed with George's imitation. That plus Bastet is so, well millenniums ago.

[sgtbono2002]

Thank You Mr. Mubarek.

Wish you had kept him in that jail.

[mewzilla]

That plus Bastet is so, well millenniums ago.

Boy, are you in deep cat litter!

;)

[WestVirginiaRebel]

I knew it wouldn't be long before the puns started coming in fast and purrious.

[mewzilla]

fast and purrious.

Hee hee!! Good one!

(^..^)/

[Bubba M. Aurelius]

How about rendering George in a cozy little 8 x 8 cell, that would be the shock of his life.

[Chode]

HA ha...
and the RATS take another one in the...

[mewzilla]

Ping in case you missed it :)

[backhoe]

Thanks- I've been so busy gathering links about The War of the 12 Cartoons that I forgot this story.

[kingu]

Did they put cameras in the cell and stream them over the internet? I mean, geeze, if the Egyptian Big Brother is going to toss him in jail, they should go all the way...

(Oh, and Egypt? Galloway is one thing, but, umm, don't do this again.. Well, unless Sheila Jackson Lee or Barbara Boxer come to visit..)