Egypt says arrested foreigners had terror links

[maddezmom]

CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt has said a group of foreigners arrested recently included French, US, Belgian, Syrian and Tunisian nationals who have links to terror groups and were recruiting Islamists for "jihad" in Iraq.

The Egyptian interior ministry said in a statement Monday it had dismantled an underground extremist organisation with links to foreign terror organisations.

French diplomatic sources had confirmed the arrest nearly two weeks ago of French Islamists in Cairo and Alexandria. Nine of them are expected to be flown back to France this week.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061204/wl_mideast_afp/egyptfranceusbelgiumislamarrests_061204160840

[iconoclastic cat]

1. Was Howard Dean there?

/snark

[maddezmom]

2. more info here: not just Iraq

CAIRO, Egypt - Police have arrested an American, 11 Europeans and several others from Arab countries for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks in Middle Eastern countries including Iraq, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

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The group was part of an Islamic militant terror cell that had adopted extremist ideas and were living in Egypt under the guise of studying Arabic and Islamic studies, the ministry said in a statement.

Along with the American, police arrested two Belgians, nine French and several others from Egypt and other Arab countries including Tunisia and Syria, the statement said.

The ministry did provide names or say how many Egyptians and Arabs were arrested.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061204/ap_on_re_mi_ea/egypt_arrests

[Wonk]

3. Might as well link to the much larger GD thread on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2854886&mesg_id=2854886