Riyadh's Rolexes: Leaked document claims to reveal Saudi 'bribes'

Riyadh's Rolexes: Leaked document claims to reveal Saudi 'bribes'. (AlAraby).

An array of expensive gifts should be handed out to Egyptian officials during King Salman's recent visit to Cairo, according to a document purporting to be a diplomatic cable leaked from the Saudi embassy in Cairo, published online on Wednesday night by former Egyptian presidential candidate Ayman Nour.

The document, posted on Nour's Twitter feed, appears to be an official cable from the Saudi ambassador in Cairo to the head of the royal court and the country's foreign minister.

The document includes a list of Egyptian officials, starting with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, along with suggested gifts they should receive during King Salman's visit, including the price of the gift.
The document suggests that Sisi should receive a Rolex Submariner Diamond Emerald Baguette watch, worth an eye-watering $290,000 - $300,000.

The head of parliament and the prime minister should be given a lower model Rolex watch, worth only $185,000 - $190,000, according to the cable.


As for the 508 male members of parliament, the document suggests that they receive Tissot watches worth between $1300 and $1500, while it suggests the 87 female MPs receive watches worth $1000.
The document ends its suggestions by noting that there is a prior agreement to allocate cash gifts to government ministers, journalists and "all employees in the Egyptian presidency".

Nour appeared on the opposition satellite channel Elsharq on Wednesday evening to announce that he intended to use the document to file a criminal complaint against the Egyptian government for receiving foreign bribes.


Mutaz Matar, the TV presenter hosting Nour, described the Saudi "gifts" to Egyptian officials as "bribes" to guarantee the handover of two Red Sea islands, Tiran and Sanfir, to Saudi Arabia.

Nour told the TV station that there were laws regulating the exchange of valuable gifts between world leaders, but the fact that the Saudi document suggests gifts for all members of parliament - and select members of the media -demonstrates an intention to buy influence among lawmakers. Read the full story here.

Some Twitter users have, however, cast doubt on the authenticity of the document, with one Saudi user, Badr al-Amer, arguing that it contained phrases unliekly to be used in official government correspondence in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Amer also contends that the document contains grammatical errors, while official documents are routinely edited for spelling and grammar.

@MFS001 :@AymanNour doc fake&photoshopped as usual. Hashtag making fun of him trending nw @EjmAlrai @moscow_ghost pic.twitter.com/facK7onB3h

— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) April 14, 2016

@MFS001 Pro-MB terrorist fugitive @AymanNour has long record in faking documents in Egypt:@EjmAlrai @moscow_ghost pic.twitter.com/NlvqBkfkKA

— Hasan Sari (@HasanSari7) April 14, 2016

Video - Egyptian TV Host and Journalist Magdy Tantawy: We Need a Just Dictatorship

In a recent address, Egyptian TV host Magdy Tantawy said that Arab society was not ready for democracy in any way. "We need a strong ruler - who is more like a dictator, but is just," said Tantawy, deputy editor-in-chief of Al-Gomhuria daily, speaking on the Egyptian Al-Assema TV channel on Aug 28, 2015.

Video - Former Egyptian Min of Culture Gaber Asfour: Without Reform of the Religious Discourse, We Will Have ISIS in Every Neighborhood

Did Pres Obama promise MB pres. Morsi's foreign relations adviser info on how to control the Egyptian army?

Did Pres Obama promise MB pres. Morsi's foreign relations adviser info on how to control the Egyptian army? (Ikhwan).

Dr. Essam El-Haddad, President Morsi foreign relations advisor, totally rejects the claims published on March 11, 2015 in Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper interview with Mohamed Fahmi, Al-Jazeera English freed journalist.

The interview claimed that El-Haddad asked President Obama for advice on the control of armed forces and Obama allegedly promised that he will send him a file from the Pentagon when El-Haddad arrives back in Egypt.

Dr. Essam El-Haddad affirmed to his family – on March 15, 2015 – that his meeting with President Obama on December 4, 2012 did not cover such topics. He also explained that he barely spoke with Mohamed Fahmi, since each of them was held in solitary confinement at different locations in Al-Aqrab maximum security prison.

El-Haddad lawyers demanded Al-Masry Al-Youm publish a correction. If the newspaper refrained, his family will pursue the matter, taking legal action as appropriate.

While these claims were circulating last week, El-Haddad and detainees in Al-Aqrab Prison had all their belongings removed by the administration, including clothes, medications and food. They were also denied any time outside their solitary cells, eg for exercise. Hmmmmm......To be watched.Full story here.

EGYPT - Egyptian President Sisi Invited to the Easter Vigil from the Coptic Orthodox Church

EGYPT - Egyptian President Sisi Invited to the Easter Vigil from the Coptic Orthodox Church. (Fides).[GoogleTranslated].

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - The Coptic Orthodox Church has called on Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to participate in the Easter Vigil, to be celebrated on the evening of April 11 by Patriarch Tawadros II in the Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo . This is shown by the Egyptian sources consulted by Fides.

Besides the Chairman, the Coptic Orthodox Church has already sent official invitations to a long list of political leaders and representatives of Egyptian institutions. In addition, 5,000 tickets for the faithful have been printed to allow them to participate in the liturgy of the Easter Vigil.

President al-Sisi has already participated in the vigil of the Coptic Christmas, in the evening of January 6, welcome in the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo by Patriarch Tawadros II and by the enthusiasm of the faithful. On this occasion, the personal participation of Egyptian president at the vigil in question - as was explained to Fides.

Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina Coptic Catholic Bishop of Giza - "represented an unprecedented event in the history of Egypt. In the past, the presidents were limited to send representatives.

Some Egyptian Presidents - including Hosni Mubarak and the Islamist Mohamed Morsi - presented their Christmas greetings to Patriarch through phone calls courtesy, while others - like Nasser and former Interim President Adly Mansour - had made ​​courtesy calls to the Patriarch in the days before Coptic Christmas. " Hmmm.....Lets hope the Muslim Brotherhood doesn't use the occasion to commit more terrorist attacks.