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| Africa North |
| Swiss freeze Gaddafi, Mubarak, Ben Ali millions |
| 2011-05-04 |
| [Emirates 24/7] Switzerland said Monday it had frozen 830 million francs (ê960 million/646 million euros) in funds belonging to north African strongmen since the start of this year's popular uprisings. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey revealed the figure during a conference in Tunisia, where she is on a three-day visit, foreign ministry front man Lars Knuchel told AFP. Most of the blocked funds -- 410 million francs -- are linked to former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak ...The former President-for-Life of Egypt, dumped by popular demand in early 2011... and his associates, Knuchel said. Another 360 million francs blocked by Switzerland are believed to belong to Libyan leader Muammar Qadaffy's ... Custodian of Wheelus AFB for 42 long years ... regime and 60 million francs to former Tunisian leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his associates. All of it, minus 'modest bank charges', will be returned to the suffering peoples of these countries any day now, you betcha... Switzerland ordered the freezing of the assets of Ben Ali and Mubarak shortly after they were toppled in popular uprisings in January and February respectively. It ordered a freeze on Qadaffy's assets in February after he cracked down on opposition protests, sparking an armed conflict with rebels and international military action against his regime. |
| Posted by:Fred |