Decision to try 19 Americans strains Egypt ties with the US

Washington/Cairo: The US ambassador to the United Nations is keeping up the Obama administration's pressure on Egypt to release 19 Americans facing trial on allegations of encouraging unrest in the country.

Susan Rice told the CBS This Morning show that the US citizens involved in the dispute have been working to build a more democratic society and "have done absolutely nothing wrong".

Her statement comes in the wake of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's warning on Saturday that US financial aid to Egypt could be withdrawn because of the problem.

Rice said Washington has been talking to Cairo constantly, including "in the last days and hours". She said the situation "has serious consequences for our bilateral relationship".

Mark of defiance

Ignoring the US threat to withdraw aid, Egypt on Sunday referred the 19 Americans and 24 other employees of non-profit groups to a criminal court on accusations that they illegally used foreign funds to foment unrest in the country.

Egypt's military rulers had already deeply strained ties with Washington with their crackdown on US-funded groups promoting democracy and human rights — that were accused of stirring up violence in the aftermath of the uprising a year ago that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

The decision to send 43 workers from the various groups to trial marks a sharp escalation in the row.

The Egyptian investigation into the work of NGOs in the country is closely linked to the political turmoil that has engulfed the nation since Mubarak was forced to step down. Egypt's military rulers have been criticised by liberal and secular groups for bungling the transition to democracy after Mubarak's exit.

The generals, who took power after the uprising, have tried to deflect the criticism by claiming "foreign hands" are behind protests against their rule.

They frequently depict protesters as receiving funds from abroad in a plot to destabilise the country.

Fresh violence

Egypt has just been plunged into a new cycle of violence with 12 people killed in four days of clashes. The clashes were sparked by anger at the inability of authorities to prevent a riot at a soccer match last week that left 74 people dead.

International Cooperation Minister Faiza Aboul Najar, a remnant of the Mubarak regime who retained her post after his exit, is leading the crackdown on nonprofit groups.

On Sunday, she vowed to pursue the issue to the very end. The investigation into the funding issue, she claimed, has uncovered "plots aimed at striking at Egypt's stability".

Son of top official facing trial

Sam LaHood, head of the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute and son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, is among the Americans facing trial in Egypt.

Five Serbs, two Germans and three non-Egyptian Arab nationals are also facing trial.

All 43 have been banned from leaving the country. However, a trial date is yet to be set.