Egypt: Mubarak’s son criticises minister who threatened to cut throats of dissidents

The son of Egypt’s deposed president Hosni Mubarak has criticised the controversial remarks made by the country’s Emigration and Expatriate Affairs Minister Nabila Makram during a community gathering in Mississauga, Canada.

In a speech to Egyptian expats in Toronto captured on video earlier this week Makram asked: “Anyone who says anything about our country, what happens to them?”

“We cut,” she continued, running her hand across her throat.

Alaa Mubarak, whose father was ousted from power in the 2011 revolution, wrote on Twitter: “There is no doubt that all of us, as Egyptians, love our country and don’t accept words that insult it, but what the Egyptian immigration minister said in Canada … should not have been said even if it’s accidently and unintended because it will be exploited by the traitors against Egypt.”

The tweet has since been removed and can no longer be found online.

For her part, Makram defended herself saying: “The Egyptian state does not threaten its children, but it communicates with them, supports them and meet their needs.”

“Cutting the neck is a word in the Egyptian vernacular and means the intensity of anger of those who do it.”

“With that being said, I can understand how the phrase and gesture I made may be construed as offensive or insensitive. I would like to stress that my intention was not to promote violence towards any Egyptian or foreigner.”

“In particular, I would like to highlight that my statement was not targeted at any ‘dissidents’, ‘opposition’ or ‘critics’ as has been reported in certain media outlets.”

READ: Egyptians defend minister’s calls to cut throats of dissidents