Madrid ? Hussein Salem, a close associate of former President Hosni Mubarak who has been accused of corruption and squandering public money, was arrested on Wednesday by the Spanish police, Europa Press, a Spanish news agency, reported late on Thursday.
Mr. Salem was detained along with his son, Koaled Ismail, and a Tunisian citizen, Ali Even, on charges of money laundering, according to the news agency, which cited unnamed police officials.
The Spanish authorities also froze $45 million in bank accounts, and they seized real estate valued at $14 million in Madrid and Marbella, a major resort on the Costa del Sol, according to Europa Press.
Spain?s national police did not issue any statement about the arrests and its press office did not return calls seeking comment on Thursday evening.
Mr. Salem?s detention came after Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for him. Although Mr. Salem also holds Spanish citizenship, Spain is expected to consider a request from Egypt that he be extradited to Cairo to face trial, alongside Mr. Mubarak and other senior officials in the government that was ousted from power in February.
Egyptian prosecutors have accused Mr. Mubarak of using his influence to enable Mr. Salem to buy from the government a large tract of prime land on the Red Sea coast near Sharm el Sheik at a deeply discounted price. In return, the prosecutors have said, Mr. Salem provided the Mubaraks with five luxury villas, including a 161,000-square-foot mansion for Mr. Mubarak worth about $4.5 million.
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