Egypt to prosecute 43 aid workers, including 19 Americans, after raids on rights groups

The son of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is among 19 Americans being referred to criminal trial for allegedly receiving foreign funds illegally and being involved in banned activity in Egypt, The Associated Press reported Sunday.

In all, Egyptian officials say 43 non-governmental organization workers will be put before the court after investigating judges claimed they had reason to try the democracy and rights workers. 

The move is likely to further sour relations between Egypt's military rulers and the United States, the Arab nation's chief western backer for more than 30 years. The decision came just after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Saturday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr on the sidelines of the 48th meeting of the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Sam LaHood is head of the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute. Two other American NGOs, Freedom House and the National Democratic Institute, along with nearly a dozen foreign groups, were raided in late December as part of a move that American officials say is wholly out of bounds.

The U.S. has aided Egypt with billions in funding over the last 30 years, including $1.3 billion in military aid to Egypt for the current fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. Congress this year has provided $250 million in economic aid and up to $60 million for an "enterprise fund" for Egypt.

The military aid is conditioned on Clinton certifying the Egyptian government's move from a military council -- set up after the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak last year -- to a civilian government that respects democratic rights of citizens to participate in elections, speech and assembly.

A bipartisan group of 41 lawmakers wrote Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday to warn that unless there is a quick resolution to the raids against the NGOs -- including allowing them to reopen and ending investigations -- Clinton will have a hard time certifying Egypt's actions, forcing Congress to withhold money.

The same group of lawmakers also sent a letter to Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, warning that "the absence of a quick and satisfactory resolution to (raids) will make it increasingly difficult for congressional supporters of a strong U.S.-Egypt bilateral relationship to defend current levels of assistance to Egypt -- especially in this climate of budget cuts in Washington."

"We are very clear that there are problems that arise from this situation that can impact all the rest of our relationship with Egypt. We do not want that," Clinton told reporters after her meeting with Amr in Munich.

"We have worked very hard the last year to put in place financial assistance and other support for the economic and political reforms that are occurring in Egypt and we will have to closely review these matters as it comes time for us to certify whether or not any of these funds from our government can be made available under these circumstances," Clinton said, according to Reuters.

Beside the 19 Americans, five Serbs, two Germans and three non-Egyptian Arab nationals are among the 43 to face trial. A date has yet to be set.