Spanish authorities approved the extradition of Egyptian businessman Hussein Salem to Egypt, where he faces charges of corruption related to the former president Hosni Mubarak. Photo: EPA/ZIPI.

Spanish authorities have told Egypt they will extradite a close associate of ousted President Hosni Mubarak to face charges of squandering public funds in a case involving gas sales to Israel during Mubarak’s rule, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said last week.

Businessman Hussein Salem was arrested in Spain in June 2011 on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol.

Salem, born in 1928, is accused of making illegal profits from Egyptian gas sales to Israel through his major stake in East Mediterranean Gas, which carried out the exports. Mubarak and two of his sons also face charges in the case.