Egypt extends suspected Israeli spy’s custody for 15 days
June 26th, 2011 - 4:52 am ICT by IANSCairo, June 26 (IANS/RIA Novosti) An Egyptian court has extended the custody of a US-Israeli citizen, suspected of spying for Israel, for 15 days, Egyptian news agency MENA said Saturday.
Ilan Grapel was arrested June 12 in Cairo and is accused of “the subversive activity, aimed at damaging Egypt’s economic and political interests.”
His remand was expected to expire Monday.
The suspect, who is fluent in Arabic, believed to make attempts to instigate clashes between the opposition activists and Egyptian police during the mass protests at the Tahrir square in January, MENA quoted Egyptian Security Services’ officials as saying.
Grapel was also noticed near the building of the Egyptian television when there were protests of Egyptian Christians. He introduced himself as a foreign journalist, covering the unrests.
On June 14, two days after Grapel’s arrest, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denied that the man was a spy.
In an interview with Israeli army’s official radio station, IDF radio, Lieberman then said that “this is a student with no connection to the Israeli intelligence establishment. This is a mistake. The Egyptians have received all the clarifications and I hope the story will end soon.”
Egypt was the first Arab state that signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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