Egypt to prosecute 44 workers, including 19 Americans, after raids on rights groups

Obama just couldn't help kick Mubarak out and usher Muslim Brotherhood in quickly enough.

CAIRO (Fox News) – 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, several news agencies reported Sunday.

In all, Egyptian officials say 44 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.

The State Department on Sunday said they are aware of the reports but still are trying to confirm.

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 more than a dozen foreign groups, were raided in late December as part of a move that American officials say is unhelpful as Egypt transitions from an autocratic rule over the past 30 years.

All 19 of the U.S. aid workers sought shelter in the U.S. embassy in Cairo more than a week ago after they were denied the opportunity to leave the country. LaHood said at the time that the group was "expecting the worst."

"If it does go to trial, a trial could last up to one year in a case that's as wide-ranging as this one is. But the penalty for that is six months to five years in jail so these are very serious charges," he told Fox News.

This is the kind of thank you we get from the new, Islamist "democratic" government of Egypt praised and propped by the Obama administration.

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.

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