Former Antiquities Official Is Convicted
From Times Wire Reports
The former director of a national antiquities department was among three men sentenced to life in prison, after being convicted in a scam that smuggled thousands of antiquities out of Egypt.
Abdel Karim abu Shanab, who headed the government office that inspects the collections of antiquities traders, was accused of taking bribes and supplying smugglers with certificates that said the antiquities were fakes. Under Egyptian law, only fakes can be exported.
Abu Shanab’s lawyer said he would appeal. A life sentence in Egypt equals 25 years.
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