Egypt to put 19 Americans on trial

CAIRO -- Egypt released yesterday the names of 19 Americans who face trial over foreign funding of their nonprofit groups' activities in the country, a case that has soured U.S.-Egypt relations.

One of the 19 is the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Sam LaHood and five other Americans are in Egypt while the others have left, according to a statement from the Egyptian prosecutor's office.

Altogether, 43 people face trials over illegally operating in Egypt and receiving funds from abroad for their human rights and pro-democracy groups without permission from Egyptian authorities. Egypt charges that they fund and support anti-government protests. The groups deny that.

Washington has reacted angrily to the case, which started with raids last month on the offices of the groups. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned it could jeopardize U.S. aid to Egypt, amounting to more than $1 billion a year.

Meanwhile, Egypt's top election official said voting for a new president will be brought forward from June, in line with demands by protesters. That could mean a new Egyptian constitution would be drawn up under a civilian government.

Election commission chief Abdel-Moez Ibrahim did not set a date for the election, but he told the Egyptian daily Al Ahram that nominations for the presidency would be accepted March 10, a month earlier than the original date.

On the issue of the nonprofit groups, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said Monday the U.S. citizens involved have been working to build a more democratic society in Egypt and "have done absolutely nothing wrong."

She told "CBS This Morning" that U.S. officials have been in close touch with the Egyptian government. She said the situation "has serious consequences for our bilateral relationship."

The Egyptian investigation into the work of the nonprofit groups is closely linked to the political turmoil that has engulfed the nation since the ouster a year ago of President Hosni Mubarak, a U.S. ally who ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years.