The leader of the Viva Palestina aid convoy for Gaza, British MP George Galloway, was yesterday deported and declared persona non grata by Egypt.
Officials denied that they had deported him but a foreign ministry official told Galloway he was no longer welcome before he left Cairo airport for London.
The Egyptian foreign ministry later issued a statement saying Galloway would not be allowed to return to Egypt.
A statement issued yesterday by his Viva Palestina relief convoy said: ‘British MP George Galloway was officially deported from Cairo today, when Egyptian plain-clothes police officers bundled him onto a London plane.
‘Galloway had been trying to return to Rafah after news broke that seven of the Viva Palestina convoy members were said to be arrested.
‘Police, who at one point were numbered at 25 mainly plain-clothes officers, refused to allow him to return.
‘Several officers even followed Galloway to the toilet, rest room and a BA lounge.
‘The incident began after George Galloway and his colleague Ron McKay arrived at the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt.
‘As soon as they emerged onto Egyptian soil both men were forcibly pushed into a van, refused exit and told that they were leaving the country.
‘They were then driven off in a police convoy.
‘The Viva Palestina convoy of 550 people from 17 countries was attacked by Egyptian riot police and plainclothes intelligence officers in the early hours of Wednesday (6th January). 55 of the convoy members were injured and 7 were also arrested.
‘However, Galloway and Turkish MP’s struck a deal with Egyptian authorities; part of this deal was that the 7 detainees were released without charge.
‘On the enforced drive to Cairo, news came through of the imminent arrest of the 7 but when Galloway demanded to return to Rafah, permission was repeatedly denied.’