Dubai: A senior Egyptian official on Tuesday said it will reveal "stunning information" in the next few days which will confirm Cairo's recent allegations that Lebanese group Hezbollah planned to carry multiple attacks in Egypt.
Hezbollah has denied Egyptian allegation that it had formed a 49 member cell, led by a member of the group, Sami Shihab, who is currently in Egyptian custody, to plan and carry out attacks against Egyptian and Israeli targets in the southern Sinai area on instructions from Iran.
Accusing Iran of using Hezbollah to get a foothold in the region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu Al Gait was quoted yesterday as saying that the public prosecutor will announce new details that will stun the Iranian backers of Hezbollah.
"Iran, and Iran's followers, want Egypt to become a maid of honour for the crowned Iranian queen when she enters the Middle East," Abu Al Gait told the Saudi daily Asharq Al Awsat. "I wish I could see their eyes and their faces when their lower lips drop in astonishment at what the public prosecutor will include in his report," he added.
Egyptian security officials have said 25 members of the alleged cell were arrested, with police scouring the Sinai Peninsula for the remaining 24 suspects. The lead lawyer for the arrested men yesterday denied the charges and said he was confident a compromise will be reached between Cairo and Hezbollah.
Speaking to Gulf News from Cairo, Muntasir Al Zayyat said his 10-hour meeting with the main suspect at the State Security headquarters assured him the case is "not as dramatic as it was portrayed in the Egyptian media" and that his defence will focus on the fact that the 49 men involved in the case were just helping Palestinians in Gaza to defend themselves against the brutal aggression by Israel.
Fallout: Security beefed up
Egypt and Israel have beefed up security along their borders to prevent illegal crossings after detaining a group Cairo said were linked to Hezbollah.
"The number of Egyptian security patrols has been increased along the borders with Israel and police checkpoints near the border have been reinforced with additional police," a security source said.
A senior Israeli official said the army has also gone on high alert along the border with the Sinai peninsula. Israeli and Egyptian authorities are holding "regular security updates" after officials in Cairo said the alleged cell was planning attacks on Israeli tourists in Sinai, a popular destination during the Jewish Passover holiday.
With additional inputs from agencies.
