Egypt denies arrival of Gadhafi's family members

CAIRO - Egyptian airport authorities denied Monday reports that members of fallen Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's family have arrived in Cairo from Algeria.

"We have no information about the arrival of Gadhafi's family members," a senior security officer at the Cairo international airport told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Algeria's Arabic-language daily El Khabar reported Monday that eight members of Gadhafi's family, probably including his daughter Aisha, would have left Algeria and reached Cairo.

Quoting a well-informed source, the report said the eight Gadhafi family members left Algeria for Cairo Saturday via Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers.

Aisha embarrassed Algerian authorities when she issued a telephone message Friday blasting Libya's ruling National Transitional Council as traitors.

The statement, aired on Syria-based Al-Rai satellite channel, drew sharp criticism from Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Mdeleci, who called Aisha's comment "unacceptable" and pledged to take measures to prevent its recurrence.

Algeria permitted members of Gadhafi's family, including Aisha, to enter the country on August 29 on humanitarian ground. Aisha gave birth to a baby girl in an Algerian border town a few days later.