Egypt Watch

Mohamed Ali: al-Sisi will fall within 3 months


The Egyptian businessman and actor Mohamed Ali has said that he intends to broadcast a new video within three weeks which will cause a political earthquake that will shatter General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s world.

He said that al-Sisi’s rule will not last more than three months after what he will announce in that video, but did not reveal any further information about the upcoming “earthquake.”

Ali’s statements came during an interview with the Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS, in an unknown location in Barcelona. Ali seemed confident about what he said. He said he knew very well what he was saying and meant every word, and that his confidence stemmed from his knowledge of Egyptians.

When the Spanish editor asked: “What if nothing happens?” Ali replied: “You will see.”

Observers say that large segments of the Egyptian people have lost confidence in the promises made by some of the Egyptian opposition, because of their inability to fulfill them. But Mohamed Ali never made explicit promises with such a specific duration.

However, Ali “confessed that he moves from one hotel to another permanently, in an attempt to protect himself from being assassinated mafia [style]. Mohamed Ali asserts that the Egyptian people have realised al-Sisi is corrupt and that he is a ‘thief’.”

Regarding evidence of the accusations he made against al-Sisi he said: “I have something more than papers. The facilities are undeniable… I said where the facilities that I built are, people approached them and took pictures, this can’t be denied.”

Ali pointed out that all the papers (documents) are easily denied: “It is easy for the regime to issue other documents denying the files I have; I am facing an authority that controls all of the official documents.” He added that he already has documents and files, but he left the transaction files in a small company in Egypt “which was confiscated by the authorities. However, I am personally a document file, witness to what was going on.”

In response to a question about his waiting 15 years to reveal corruption, Mohammed Ali said: “I was not aware of politics and did not know what corruption means.”

“I didn’t finish my studies and all I knew was the need to work, so I did not know about politics,” said Ali. 

He stressed that the first time he worked for the army, he thought that there were no under the table bribes and later realised that it was a rule.

“I thought that money was a donation in favour of the army, but I figured out that it was for the leaders,” Ali stressed.

According to EL PAÍS, Mohamed Ali managed to communicate with the majority of Egyptians in a country weary of class differences and a strong military presence.

Mohamed Ali was intending to run real estate projects in Spain after he left Cairo and broadcast videos about the corruption of senior regime officials, including General al-Sisi and his wife, but Ali no longer gives time to his projects, “because I was moving from one hotel to another so as not to be assassinated mafia [style].”

“I am sure that the Spanish government will not hand me over to Egypt, but I know he [al-Sisi] is willing to pay a lot of money for my head [assassination].”

“I live in a house and the Egyptian authorities do not know its address and come to this office only when I have an appointment.”

Ali usually works in an office different to the address where his company is listed in the commercial register in Barcelona.

Although Mohamed Ali was not known until early September, he suddenly jumped to being one of General al-Sisi’s top opponents when he posted videos of al-Sisi’s corruption.

In September, Egypt witnessed rare demonstrations in response to Mohamed Ali’s call, but they were followed by fierce arrests of more than 4,000 people.