Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday denied recent news reports that a travel ban on Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and former military chief-of-staff Sami Anan was issued.
"In regards to the false reports published Wednesday, those responsible will be investigated while the editorial positions at the newspaper have already been changed," Morsi stated while attending joint air force/naval exercises in the city of Al-Arish in the northern Sinai Peninsula.
Late Wednesday, the editor-in-chief of state daily Al-Gomhouriya, which had published a front page report about the alleged travel ban, was abruptly replaced.
"It's no secret that I'm still in constant contact with Field Marshal Tantawi and Sami Anan," Morsi stated, noting that he continued to consult with both men on certain issues.
"The last conversation we had was on Wednesday."
In early August, following an attack near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip that killed 16 Egyptian border guards, Morsi forced Tantawi and Anan into early retirement as part of a raft of sweeping personnel changes.
He also issued a new constitutional declaration granting him full executive and legislative powers, which had been previously held by Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
