TV critic of Egypt's Islamist president freed

By Hamza Hendawi

Associated Press

Published: Monday, Oct. 1 2012 3:36 a.m. MDT

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FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012 file photo, Tawfiq Okasha, a popular Egyptian TV presenter accused of inciting the killing of the country's new president on air, stands in the defendants cage at the opening of his trial, in Cairo, Egypt. Police say the trial of Okasha for inciting the murder of Egypt's Islamist president has been detained in connection with a series of allegations, including theft of electrical power and issuing a bounced check.

Mohammed Assad, File, Associated Press

Summary

Security officials say the owner of a TV station on trial for incitement following his call for the killing of Egypt's Islamist president has been released after being briefly detained over allegations of theft of electrical power and bounced checks.

CAIRO — Security officials say the owner of a TV station on trial for incitement following his call for the killing of Egypt's Islamist president has been released after being briefly detained over allegations of theft of electrical power and bounced checks.

The officials say Tawfiq Okasha was released late Sunday after nearly 10 hours of questioning at a police station in Cairo's Nasr City district.

Authorities last month closed Okasha's TV station — Al-Faraeen," or "The Pharoahs" — which he used to launch scathing attacks on President Mohammed Morsi and the leader's Islamist group, the Muslim Brotherhood.

The officials spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

By HAMZA HENDAWI

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