An Anti-terrorism Court in Egypt has ruled to notify Interpol to arrest Egyptian fugitive contractor Mohamed Ali and two others charged with publishing fake news, endangering national peace and belonging to a proscribed group.
The court held at the Tora prison complex charged the trio in a case, which is known in the media as “the Joker”. It involves 102 defendants including Ali, who is currently resident in Spain.
Ali first fled to Spain where he posted videos criticising the regime starting September 2019 and later moved to the United Kingdom.
The prosecution accused the defendants of posting videos on Youtube, calling for mass protests in September 2019 intended to disrupt national peace and commit acts of terror in Kesm EL-Arbaeen area, Suez.
In November 2019, the Public Prosecution referred Ali to a criminal court on charges of VAT evasion two weeks after he was sentenced to five years in prison by the Tax Evasion Misdemeanour Court.
The court asked Ali to pay around 42 million Egyptian pounds ($2,600,000), after his firm, Amlak, failed to settle a dispute with the government over taxes owed between October 2012 and September 2016. He was also fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($3,100).
Ali had claimed he left Egypt while the military owes him 220 million Egyptian pounds, ($13 million) for services he provided.
