Exclusive interview with one of the tried before martial courts

Dr/ Ahmad Abdel Ati one of the forty reformists that are to be tried before martial courts upon a decree from the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak because they belong to the Muslim Brotherhood Society.
Dr. Abdel Ati along with other five persons are to be tried before martial courts by the virtue of a presidential decree that was issued when they were abroad. Now Dr. Abdul Ati is outside Egypt, he is residing in one of Arab countries.

Ikwanweb was able to get his phone number and interviewe him.

Dr/ Ahmad Muhammad Abdul Ai
Place of nascence: Zagazig, AlSharqiya governorate in 13th October 1970
Graduate of the faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University in 2003
Diploma in the administration of Non-governmental organization in 2005, Faculty of economics and political sciences, Cairo University.
Married from Dr. Mona Muhammd Rabie’, has three children Omar (9 years), Youssif (7 years) and Tasbih (3 years)

What is the nature of your work? Where are you now?

 After graduation, I started working in drugs industry with several companies that contributed to developing and producing many formulations of drugs. I occupied several positions until I became  the head of production for one of the most modern factories for drugs and medication with international standards then I became the head of one the factories in the period 1993-2005. Finally, I established with some of my colleagues Hayat company for production and trade in drugs and it is a joint stock company.
Now, I am continuing in my business that I started in 1996 to open new markets for our company in Egypt, so I rove among many Arab and Europeans countries to make deals and to treat the damages  caused by the Egyptian Government which assaulted our company in Egypt.
How did you receive the news that you are to be tried before martial courts while you are abroad?
Actually, It was not a surprise because there was already an escalation from the police Egyptian regime that refused the decrees of normal courts that approved the release of all detainees also the nullification of the decrees of detainment thus, the regime had no other choice but to  try them before martial bodies in this case, exactly like what happened with other MB members before from 1995 to 2002.

Do you believe that the organization of Al-Azhar militia is a real fact and what does the regime benefit from involving some MB figures living abroad in this case?

If it were a true fact, then why these students were released however, this was a sarcastic play acted by the regime but unfortunately the failed in directing it.
Concerning the involvement of same MB figures in this case while they are living abroad, I think that these are lame attempts like “shoddy Egyptian films” where the regime is trying to delude people and convince them that there is an intercontinental  organization that carries out money laundry. By the way many of these honest people only keep their good names and some of them have no idea about what is taking place in Egypt because they migrated from forty years or something like that, this is ridiculous.

How do you interpret the recent police crackdown against MB in Egypt?

   The reasons are clear:
1) To quell the rising movement of MB in the Egyptian society generally and the youth sectors especially
2) To frighten Egyptians from MB’s recent rise in parliamentary elections in 2005 and the Islamic awakening in the Egyptian society
3) To practice pressures upon MB in order to retreat and abandon the program of reform and change that started to be ripe and give back life to many domains
4) To pave way before the scenario of succession while there is an unspeakable absence for active forces in the Egyptian street especially MB
5) To fill the American Administration with confidence that Islamic rising is under control
6) To practice pressures against the Islamist movement generally and to give an example for close regimes of how to deal with Islamist trends
How did you receive the news of breaking into your home in Cairo and how was your feeling?
Of course I was surprised especially when the strict custody lasted for two months although the police knew that we are not home and I felt the pangs of oppression where our families and neighbors were intimidated while thieves and corruptors are dignified.?!!!

What was the response of your family and kids after these decrees? Are there any means of connectedness between you and your family inside Egypt now?

My Family, upon Allah’s grace, are patient but they feel the pangs of oppression because we were deprived from our families and folks where some of them are in need of our care but this is fate and we are satisfied thanks to Allah and we beseech Him to bestow us happy denouement or at least to communicate our families.

How did your close friends receive these news?

They were surprised and renounced these  decisions however they were in full trust that what we are doing is true?
Are you ready to surrender?
Yes I am ready if I were assured that I would be tried before normal judge
Did you  prepare yourself for any sudden circumstances that might threaten to execute detainment? What are the preparations?
Detainment is like death that comes suddenly and we are ready for it in any moment but we should work for Allah’s sake while preparations for life are easy because we have nothing to fear as everything is in the hands of our Allah

Have you ever been detained? When and how?

Yes I was arrested in 30th October 1998 and I stayed there for six months at Mazraat Tura Prison in the lawsuit known as “the organization of students”. This detainment was made in order to hinder the rising activity of MB students and to practice measures against universities in order to overcome their protests against why river –among the series of agreements and accords signed with occupation forces- many accusations were cooked  but we were released from the consultation room at Al-Abasya court.
How did you receive the court’s decisions nullifying the presidential decrees that civilians are to be tried before martial courts?
With pleasure and honor, it is so honorable to feel that the Egyptian judiciary is great and wants justice and pleasure for all our brethrens.

How did you receive the news of appeal in the decree?

I felt that Egypt is slaved and unfortunately by the hands of some traitors of judges who betrayed their oaths- they preferred the worldly life and forgot the hereafter- we ask Allah for repentance.

Do you have any volunteering activities that you carry out?

Yes I am a member at some international  organizations for youth and I contact them and participate in training and lecturing in some activities.
Are these activities affected by recent events?
Of course there is great difficulty in performing the activities freely especially that there is a long time that gets consumed in following the current events and to carry out the other members’ activities who were detained.

How do you spend your daily life?

I live it normally between work, family following the current affairs through media.

Is there any message that you would like to send to any one in Egypt?

Yes to my family and beloveds and I would like to tell them that this is the road we have chosen and we know very well its repercussions but we believe in Allah’s decrees and we trust His promise of victory, and upon His willing right will be back to its people

The ruling regime in Egypt??

Isn’t it the time to repent and wake up??

MB case won’t be solved save on political table and consuming time in lawsuits will affect the country and I appeal to rational people in the regime to listen to reason and to avoid seditions because people are suffering from oppression and we fear any involvement in overwhelming anarchy.
I hope that all rational brothers would give their hands to build our beloved Egypt.

International and human rights organization?

We are waiting for more efforts in edifying the world about our case in international forms and to veil the infringements that are practiced against us and to lift oppression away from Egyptian people.

The detained brothers now behind the bars?

I send them a message of love, truth and power and I call them to be patient and resilient. Tomorrow, we shall meet, if not in worldly life, might it be in Hereafter where we beseech Allah to accept our deeds. Victory needs patience and it is the outcome of our road that we have chosen because Allah says, ((Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, “Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them.” But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: “Allâh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)))