Egypt Minister Says U.S. Used NGOs to Sow Chaos, Ahram Says

Egypt’s planning minister has told investigators that the U.S. directly funded non-governmental organizations in the country with the aim of sowing chaos after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, the state-run Al Ahram newspaper said.

Fayza Aboulnaga said the U.S. aimed to thwart a “historic opportunity” for Egypt to regain its regional and international stature, the Cairo-based newspaper said.

Egypt has referred 43 people, including the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, to trial after a probe into foreign funding of NGOs. The inquiry has added to strains between the U.S. and Egypt and jeopardized American financial aid to the Egyptian military, a close ally.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mariam Fam in Cairo at mfam1@bloomberg.net;

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net