Egyptian Police Raid U.S.-Backed Pro-Democracy Groups

By Sherine El Madany and Marwa Awad

December 29, 2011 5:03 PM EST

(Reuters) - Egyptian prosecutors and police raided offices of 17 pro-democracy and human rights groups Thursday - including several funded by the United States - in what rights defenders described as a campaign against them by the military rulers.

The U.S. State Department said the raids were "inconsistent with the bilateral cooperation we have had over many years," hinting it could review its $1.3 billion in military aid if they continued. Germany said it would summon Egypt's ambassador.

Rights groups, a driving force behind the protests that toppled President Hosni Mubarak in February, have become increasingly vocal in criticizing the army's heavy-handed tactics in dealing with street unrest and demanding a quicker handover of power to civilians.

The official MENA news agency said the groups had been targeted as part of an investigation into foreign funding of such organizations.

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"The public prosecutor has searched 17 civil society organizations, local and foreign, as part of the foreign funding case," MENA cited the prosecutor's office as saying. "The search is based on evidence showing violation of Egyptian laws including not having permits."

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Among groups targeted were the local offices of the U.S.-based International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute, a security source and employees at the organizations said.

The United States expressed deep concern over the raids and urged Egyptian authorities to immediately halt "harassment" of non-governmental organization staff.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland indicated to a news briefing that military aid could be difficult to push through Congress if the situation did not improve.

"We do have a number of new reporting and transparency requirements on funding to Egypt that we have to make to Congress," Nuland said. "The Egyptian government is well aware of that and it certainly needs to be aware of that in the context of how quickly this issue gets resolved."

Nuland said U.S. officials had been in touch both with Egyptian Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri and with Egypt's ambassador in Washington to underscore Washington's concern.

CRITICISM

Her comments come after stinging criticism from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the "systematic degradation" of women during protests in Cairo this month in which 17 people were killed, saying it "disgraces the state."

Images of troops beating protesters as they lay on the ground brought thousands of Egyptians onto the streets to vent their dismay. The harsh treatment of women protesters attracted particular attention.

Clinton's was some of the strongest language used against Egypt's new rulers by Washington, which has voiced support for the army's plan to steer the country to democracy.

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