Egypt frees businessman, son after 2 years of detention

CAIRO (AP) — Family members say Egyptian authorities have released a prominent businessman and his son after more than two years in pre-trial detention while officials investigated possible terrorism-related charges. Safwan Thabet, founder and former CEO of dairy and juice producer Juhayna Food Industries, and his son Seif el-Din Thabet, walked free late Saturday. State-run media also reported their release but there was no official comment. Authorities arrested Safwan Thabet in December 2020, and he remained in detention pending an investigation into accusations that he helped fund a terrorist group — a reference to the the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt banned as a terrorist organization. His son, Seif, was detained two months later on the same charges.