20110221
reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's public prosecutor on Monday moved to freeze the foreign assets of Hosni Mubarak, the first sign that the deposed president would be held to account by the rulers to whom he handed power 10 days ago.

The prosecutor said in a statement he had asked the Foreign Ministry to use diplomatic channels to request a freeze on foreign assets and accounts held by Mubarak, his wife Suzanne and his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, together with their wives.

Media reports suggested the former president's wealth may total billions of dollars and some anti-Mubarak protesters accused him of squandering the wealth of the Arab world's most populous nation, but aides insist he has done nothing wrong.

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday became the first foreign leader to visit post-Mubarak Egypt and pushed for an end to emergency law, while refusing to talk to the influential Muslim Brotherhood, a growing political force.

The Brotherhood on Monday dismissed a cabinet reshuffle, designed to placate pro-democracy reformists, saying that it wanted a purge of the old guard associated with Mubarak.

The downfall of Mubarak in Egypt and uprisings across the region have prompted Western governments to rethink their policies of supporting autocrats, but have also raised concerns about the rise of Islamist groups in their place.

British officials said that Cameron will not speak with the Muslim Brotherhood, which is regarded with suspicion in Washington, is Egypt's biggest and best organised political grouping and says it wants a democracy with Islamic principles.

It would be a positive sign to meet other, less organised opposition groups than the Brotherhood, to highlight the fact that Islamists are not the only alternative to Mubarak, the British officials said.