Egypt court revokes ruling adding footballer Abou-Trika’s name on terror list

Egypt’s highest appeals court on Wednesday revoked a verdict placing retired football star, Mohammed Abou-Trika, on a terrorism list for alleged links with the Muslim Brotherhood, state media reported.

In January 2017, the Cairo Criminal Court added Abou-Trika and more than 1,500 other people, including ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders and businessmen, to a terrorism list.

Wednesday’s verdict by the Court of Cassation ruled that the case be returned to the criminal court for review, state TV reported.

However, Abou-Trika, who is now in Qatar, is still on a terror list, according to another court ruling issued in April 2018.

People designated on a terrorism list are banned from travel and placed on a watch list.

In 2015, Abou-Trika, 39, had a string of assets seized by the Egyptian authorities before the country’s Higher Administrative Court annulled the measure.

Abou Trika played for years in al-Ahly, leading the prominent Cairo-based team to clinch several local and regional trophies.

He was also instrumental in Egypt’s two consecutive wins of the prestigious African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008.

He is popular in Egypt and the Arab world.

Egypt has listed the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation and jailed thousands of its members and supporters since the military removed Mr Morsi from office in July 2013, following mass protests against his one-year rule.

The authorities accuse the group of receiving funds from economic entities, businessmen and supporters to carry out violent acts against the state institutions.