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GV Omar Makram Mosque in Cairo, Egypt.
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SCU Prime Minister Mamdouh Salem shaking hands with relatives.
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GV Coffin brought out of Mosque.
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SV Relatives crying and mourners watch. (2 shots)
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GV Hearse drives along crowded funeral route and people wail. (2 shots)
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TV Hearse continues along route, PAN TO Prime Minister leading procession.
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TV Mourners in procession. (2 shots)
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GV Thousands of people waving pictures as hearse and mourners pass by. (3 shots)
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Initials VS 18.15



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: Thousands of wailing teenagers and other Egyptians turned out in Cairo, Egypt, on Saturday (2 april) for the funeral procession of one of their favourite singers, Abdel-Halim Hafez.

SYNOPSIS: Mr. Hafez died in London on Wednesday (30 March) and his body was flown in for Moslem funeral prayers at the Omar Makram Mosque. Leading the mourners was Egypt's Prime Minister Mamdouh Salem who paid his respects to the singer's relatives outside the Mosque.

Mr. Hafez was known as Halim and often referred to as the Elvis Presley of the Arab world. he acquired his fame in the late 1950s and his performances always attracted several thousand people. When he died he was 48 and he was suffering from a chronic liver ailment. he visited London almost once a year for treatment.

Thousands lined the route of the funeral procession and many were dressed in black and carrying Mr. Hafez's picture. Cairo newspapers earlier reported that a 21-year-old fan had committed suicide by throwing herself from a seventh floor window after hearing of his death.

Police resorted to using batons to control the mourners at times and thousands of civil and military police were called in. The scenes were similar to those two years ago at the funeral of the Arab world's leading female singer, Om Kalthoum.

Mr. Hafez specialised in nationalist songs and love serenades. He began his career in 1948 and is reported to have left about three million pounds sterling when he died. Ministers, senior officials, musicians, composers and film stars attended the funeral.