20110115
reuters

TUNIS (Reuters) - Sakher Materi, the businessman son-in-law of Tunisia's ex-president, is in Dubai and a television report he is under arrest is not true, an aide told Reuters.

"He has been in Dubai since midday today," the aide, who did not want to be named, told Reuters after he said he telephoned Materi to check his whereabouts.

Tunisia's private Nessma television station reported on Friday that Materi had been arrested along with several relatives of ex-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who stepped down on Friday after weeks of protests.

Materi is one of Tunisia's most prominent businessman and, before the unrest began, some analysts said he was being groomed for high political office.

His wealth and business interests have been the focus of suspicion and anger from some Ben Ali opponents, who have accused the former president of nepotism.