Central Bank confiscates assets of football star accused of Brotherhood ties

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) reportedly confiscated the assets of Mohamed Abu Treika, one of Egypt’s best known and most celebrated football stars, on Thursday.

The athlete announced on his official Twitter and Facebook accounts that despite the bank’s actions, he would remain in Egypt. “We make money to keep it in our hands, not our hearts. You can seize money or seize whatever you like, but I will not leave this country and I will work here toward its progress," Abu Treika wrote.

The CBE seized Abu Treika's assets at the behest of the judicial committee that was created to investigate, confiscate and manage Muslim Brotherhood funds in the aftermath of former President Mohamed Morsi’s ouster in 2013, according to the state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram.

Several lists incriminating Brotherhood-affiliated personalities and their assets have been issued since the committee was formed in September 2013. Other figures on the list include Islamic scholar Youssef Karadawy, Morsi's son and former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Mohamed Mahsoub. Dozens of businesses have also been seized by the government for their purported Brotherhood ties.

Abu Treika is accused of having owned a Brotherhood-affiliated tourism company in 2013. Doha-based satellite channel Al-Jazeera quoted the head of the committee, Judge Ezzat Khamis, as saying that the committee was investigating eight tourism companies, including one owned by the celebrity.

“The properties are owned and operated by members and leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood,” Khamis claimed.

The move sparked outrage on social media, with the hashtag #TreikaisaRedLine trending as the number one hashtag in Egypt and #TreikaintheHeart also trending. Twitter users have been expressing their support for the football player since Thursday. @Heem21 wrote, “You are not just a player, you are the king of our hearts, you are the best ever, you are M. ABU TREIKA #TreikaisaRedLine.”

Twitter users are also circulating a picture of Abu Treika publicly supporting Palestine as proof of his character, and many are criticizing the state for targeting the football player. “The likes of Sisi and his gang bind the boots of Abu Treika while they destroy Egypt, overpower her people and loot her finest #Thearmyisbroken #ConfiscationofAbuTreika’sproperty,” tweeted @Abdurrahmanezz.

High-profile comedian and satirist Bassem Youssef tweeted a video of Abu Treika's 30 best goals to express his solidarity, writing, “May God support you.”

Abu Treika is a former Al-Ahly player and helped lead the Egyptian national team to victory twice in the African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008. In 2006, he played a key role in getting Al-Ahly the bronze medal in the FIFA World Cup. He supported Morsi in his presidential campaign in 2012, but has not largely commented publicly on political matters since Morsi’s ouster. He retired from football in 2013.