CAIRO: Mohamed Aboutrika, one of the greatest modern African footballers, has been registered on the Egyptian security services’ ‘terror list’ for his alleged links with the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

Aboutrika is accused of financially supporting the Brotherhood, which Egypt regards as a terrorist organisation.  In 2012, he endorsed the successful presidential bid by Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood member.

Any person named on the country’s terror list is subject to a travel ban and faces having their passport and assets frozen.

Aboutrika’s lawyer, Mohamed Osman, said the move was “contrary to the law”, adding that his client denied the allegations and had “not been convicted or formally notified of any of the charges against him. We will appeal this decision.”

A former star for top Egyptian club Al-Ahly. Aboutrika scored 38 goals in 100 international appearances for Egypt but in recent years, attracted establishment attention for his prominent support of many victims of arrest and ill-treatment in detention.

In 2015, he had a string of assets, including shares in a number of companies, seized by the Egyptian authorities as a result of his support for the deposed Morsi.

The army’s crackdown on Brotherhood members, left hundreds of people dead and thousands in jail, with Morsi ousted from power after just a year in charge.

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