Egyptian prosecutor orders probe into New York Times’ report

Cairo: Egypt’s chief prosecutor has ordered an “urgent” investigation into a New York Times’ report about recordings purportedly of an intelligence officer instructing TV talk show hosts and a famous actress to downplay President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Chief prosecutor Nabil Sadeq’s statement says the report, published over the weekend, “undermines Egypt’s security, public peace and hurts the public’s interest.”

The decision followed a flurry of condemnation of the Times by lawmakers, commentators and the State Information Service.

The government of President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi, a close Trump ally, has denounced Trump’s Jerusalem decision.

Michael Slackman, The Times’ international editor, is quoted as saying in an article published Wednesday that the paper’s “story was a deeply reported, consequential piece of journalism, and we stand fully behind it.”