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Egypt Detain suspected jewish spy
Cairo (CNN) -- A former Israeli military officer was questioned by Egyptian authorities Sunday and detained for 15 days on suspicion of spying for Israel, according to a spokesman for Egypt's general prosecutor.
Elan Chaim participated in the Lebanon war of 2006, and was relieved of field combat duties after being injured, spokesman Adel Saeed said Sunday. He was apprehended in a five-star hotel in downtown Cairo, Saeed said. Investigators had kept a close eye on his activities for months, and suspect he is involved in espionage, the spokesman said.
Chaim allegedly was sent to Egypt by the Israeli government, tasked with taking advantage of the security vacuum in the country following the January 25 revolution and instructed to recruit others to acquire military and political information, Saeed said. The revolution forced former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power; he stepped down February 11.
Chaim was present at most of the protests, Saeed alleged, and encouraged demonstrators to engage in violence against the military. His aim, according to Egyptian authorities, was allegedly to help cause chaos between the Egyptian people and the military, Saeed said.
Chaim was questioned by the supreme state security prosecutor and will be temporarily detained, Saeed said. The general prosecutor will announce the results of the investigation when it is complete.
The Jerusalem Post quoted an unnamed Israeli Foreign Ministry official as saying the ministry was "totally and completely unfamiliar with the story" and that it would be investigated.
Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
The espionage allegations come two days after Egyptian gas began flowing again to Israel following a weekslong shutdown of a pipeline on the Sinai Peninsula because of sabotage. The delivery was halted after an April attack on the pipeline -- the second such attack on the Egyptian pipeline infrastructure since the toppling of the Mubarak government.
Israel receives about 40% of its natural gas from Egypt. The pipeline represents one of the major economic agreements between the two nations.
The issue of gas sales to Israel has become highly controversial in Egypt with various allegations circulating that Israel received below-market prices for the gas and that Egyptian government officials enriched themselves on the deal.
The Israeli government and Israeli investors in the pipeline have categorically denied below-market pricing for the gas. During the shutdown last month, one of the major investors released a statement expressing public frustration that the Egyptian government was not moving more quickly to get the gas flowing again and threatened to pursue legal action.
Lets not forget Egypt is considered an "Allie" to isreal
Elan Chaim participated in the Lebanon war of 2006, and was relieved of field combat duties after being injured, spokesman Adel Saeed said Sunday. He was apprehended in a five-star hotel in downtown Cairo, Saeed said. Investigators had kept a close eye on his activities for months, and suspect he is involved in espionage, the spokesman said.
Chaim allegedly was sent to Egypt by the Israeli government, tasked with taking advantage of the security vacuum in the country following the January 25 revolution and instructed to recruit others to acquire military and political information, Saeed said. The revolution forced former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power; he stepped down February 11.
Chaim was present at most of the protests, Saeed alleged, and encouraged demonstrators to engage in violence against the military. His aim, according to Egyptian authorities, was allegedly to help cause chaos between the Egyptian people and the military, Saeed said.
Chaim was questioned by the supreme state security prosecutor and will be temporarily detained, Saeed said. The general prosecutor will announce the results of the investigation when it is complete.
The Jerusalem Post quoted an unnamed Israeli Foreign Ministry official as saying the ministry was "totally and completely unfamiliar with the story" and that it would be investigated.
Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
The espionage allegations come two days after Egyptian gas began flowing again to Israel following a weekslong shutdown of a pipeline on the Sinai Peninsula because of sabotage. The delivery was halted after an April attack on the pipeline -- the second such attack on the Egyptian pipeline infrastructure since the toppling of the Mubarak government.
Israel receives about 40% of its natural gas from Egypt. The pipeline represents one of the major economic agreements between the two nations.
The issue of gas sales to Israel has become highly controversial in Egypt with various allegations circulating that Israel received below-market prices for the gas and that Egyptian government officials enriched themselves on the deal.
The Israeli government and Israeli investors in the pipeline have categorically denied below-market pricing for the gas. During the shutdown last month, one of the major investors released a statement expressing public frustration that the Egyptian government was not moving more quickly to get the gas flowing again and threatened to pursue legal action.
Lets not forget Egypt is considered an "Allie" to isreal