Egypt bars George Galloway from country

CAIRO: Egyptian security escorted MP George Galloway to take a flight out of the country on Friday and he was barred from returning after violent protests over an aid convoy he led into Gaza, local news agency said. The Foreign Ministry declared the left-wing politician an "unwelcome individual," the agency said. An Egyptian security source said Egypt reached a deal with members of the aid convoy to take supplies to Palestinians in Gaza after protests overnight. Egyptian security forces and members of the convoy had thrown stones at each other when tempers frayed over the route the trucks were to take. Cairo had insisted the food and other supplies should enter Gaza via an Israeli-controlled checkpoint but convoy leaders wanted to use the Egyptian-controlled Rafah border crossing. Galloway, who had re-entered Egypt to ask about the fate of seven detained convoy members, was immediately asked to leave the country, security sources said. Galloway was escorted by Egyptian security personnel as he went to Cairo airport heading for London, agency said. Police said later the seven detained convoy members had been freed and placed on a "watch list." No member of Galloway's convoy was immediately available for comment.