A report by AP’s Lee Keath:
The bride is the daughter of a rich businessman. An intelligence chief was the witness at the wedding. And the lavish party celebrating the week-old marriage was held Friday night at the very resort where world leaders gathered to discuss Iraq.
But Egypt’s real attention is on the groom, the son of President Hosni Mubarak and — many Egyptians believe — his heir-apparent. The marriage has put new attention on the son’s controversial political role, and the uncertainty it creates in a key U.S. ally.
Gamal Mubarak, whose father has ruled with authoritarian powers for 26 years and turned 79 on Friday, has long denied any interest in running the country. In an interview this week, he repeated that, telling the Arabic satellite TV channel Orbit, “I’m not looking for any executive post.”
But key leaders in Egypt’s ruling National Democratic Party clearly want him to succeed his father, and many Egyptians think he has been tapped to become president.