Egypt Discovers Two US-Israeli Spy Cells Prior to Presidential Elections

A senior Egyptian security official announced that the country has discovered and disbanded two spy cells trying to collect intelligence about the country’s conditions.

Kuwait’s Arabic daily, Aljarida, quoted Head of the Egyptian National Security Apparatus General Majdi Abd Al-Ghaffar as saying that his forces have discovered two spy cells operating in Egypt and arrested its members this afternoon.

He announced that the spy cells included 4 Americans, one Israeli, one Moroccan and a Norwegian, and added that the detainees have been handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigations.

As regards the mission of the spy cells, Abd al-Ghaffar said that the spy cells were trying to collect information about the latest developments in the country.

Post-revolution Egypt is scheduled to hold presidential elections next month.

Late in February, a trial which shook up Egypt’s 30-year alliance with the US began in Cairo when a court was told 16 American workers with non-governmental organizations were CIA spies.

Forty-three foreign and Egyptian workers from NGOs – including the son of the US Transport Secretary – were accused of receiving illegal funds from abroad, carrying out political activities unrelated to their civil society work.

The case underscored tension between the US and the generals who took power when President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. Washington has said annual military aid to Egypt, worth $1.3bln, is under threat due to the trial of the American spies.

Judge Mahmud Mohamed Shukry said the trial would resume on 26 April and the defendants could stay out of jail until the next hearing.