A group of 22 men have broken up an Egyptian opposition party meeting in a Cairo hotel and assaulted at least three leading members of al-Ghad (Tomorrow) Party, a party official said. Wail Nawara - assistant to jailed party leader Ayman Nur - said on Friday that he and Ihab al-Khuly, Nur's lawyer and the party assistant secretary-general, were attacked on Thursday evening. The Interior Ministry media office referred questions about the incident to the office of the public prosecutor, which is closed on Fridays. Nawara said he had received several warnings in the last two weeks from sources connected to Egyptian security. "Fifteen thugs in white training suits, accompanying seven men wearing plain civilian suits but armed with handguns, stormed the hall, interrupted the speaker and started insulting the panel," a statement from the party said. "When Nawara attempted to ask them to be seated ... about 10 of the thugs attacked him, threw chairs, glasses and cups at him then got closer and started to beat him on the head, chest and back. They smashed his spectacles and attempted to strangle him with his own tie, then scarf," it added. Police, who are posted at the door of every large Egyptian hotel, did not turn up to help for 60 minutes, Nawara claimed.
Nur was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in late January and detained for questioning about allegations that his party submitted forged documents when it applied for legal recognition last year. He is on hunger strike. The liberal party says the allegations have been fabricated to punish Nur and his party for their vocal advocacy of constitutional change which would make it more difficult for President Husni Mubarak to stay in power.