- 25 aug 2012
Security sources: Freed Egyptian prisoners behind Sinai attack
People travel near the checkpoint where a deadly attack on Egyptian soldiers took place in Rafah August 6, 2012
Egyptian security officials told Ma'an on Saturday that several of those involved in an attack on a border post with Israel earlier this month are Jihadis who had been recently released from prison by the Egyptian president.
The sources also said forensic authorities have determined the identities of some of the seven assailants who were killed by the Israeli army during the assault on Aug. 5 -- and can confirm that at least three of them are Egyptians.
Two are from Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid in the Sinai peninsula, and the third -- who had recently been released -- is from Mersa Matruh in northern Egypt, they said.
Another three people security forces say were involved in the attack had been released by President Muhammad Mursi 45 days before it took place, the sources said.
They named them as Mahmoud Abdullah, 35, seized from Naja Shabana village a few days after the attack, and Abu Al-Miqdadm Abu Khalid and Abu Abdullah who were killed in the same military operation.
Another two bodies who died in the Naja Shabana operation could not be identified.
After they were released from custody by Mursi they headed to the Sinai peninsula to join Jihadi groups launching the attack, which left 16 Egyptian border guards dead, the sources said.
There are 16 people still on a wanted list for involvement who are from Rafah and Sheikh Zuwaid. They are under observation but cannot be captured as they are hiding among Sinai civilians, the security officials said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=514397
Interior ministry denies Spanish media report
The interior ministry in the Gaza Strip has denied a news report published by the Spanish news agency claiming that three Palestinians from Gaza were involved in the attack on Egyptian soldiers in Sinai.
The ministry said in a statement published on its website on Friday night that the Spanish agency's report quoting a security source was not true.
It affirmed that no official in the ministry had voiced such a statement.
The ministry asked the media to make sure of their news before publishing them and to contact the ministry over such delicate issues away from suspicious elements who try to spread fabricated news.
http://fwd4.me/18CV 27 aug 2012, 09:08 , Respect -
Maria 26 aug 2012
Islamic movements must not be distracted by hecklers
By Khalid Amayreh
The recent ascendancy of Islamic forces, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, to the political forefront in parts of the Arab world has generated many enemies.
Secularists, pseudo-liberals, anti-Islam Arab nationalists as well as heretical sectarians have all suddenly emerged from their protracted dormancy to fight the Islamic movements' efforts to re-Islamize societies, end political tyranny and despotism, stem the tide of corruption and achieve economic development and prosperity.
Such a phenomenon would be perfectly normal were not for the fact that these generally marginal forces conceal a real rejection of democracy and popular will in their hysterical endeavor to tarnish the Islamic movement. They easily forget that the Islamists earned, not arrogated, their achievements.
In Egypt this week, some secularist intellectuals called for a million-man strong demonstration to vilify the Muslim Brotherhood and President Muhammed Mursi. However, to the secularists' chagrin, only a few hundred protesters showed up, a majority of whom were followers of the Coptic Church.
The protesters sounded so frustrated, so irate and so disillusioned that they called the Brotherhood "murderers" and "traitors."
Needless to say, the highly-charged and manifestly mendacious epithets used in reference to Egyptian Islamists underscore the desperation and bankruptcy of the anti-Islamic forces.
It also illustrates the fact that these people are unable to come to terms with the fact that the people of Egypt have elected an Islamic president and an Islamic parliament, although the latter was dissolved by the so-called Constitutional Court, which we all know would never ever have adopted that infamous decision had the liberals or secularists or Mubarak's men won the elections.
With big mouths and little minds, the anti-Islamists have been making the illogical accusation that the Islamists are monopolizing power. This is a despicable canard since each and every winning Islamic candidate was duly elected by the masses in fair and free elections monitored by the whole world and supervised by relevant state institutions.
In fact, if we add the malicious intent inherent behind the canard, the big lie becomes a real crime since the ultimate goal of this unrelenting cycle of incitement and vilification is to foil the democratic process and carry out a coup against the will of the people.
This is certainly not freedom of speech. Freedom of speech, as far as we know, doesn't include calls for murdering a democratically elected president.
In Libya, the remnants of Muammar Gaddafi's supporters have blown up one or two car-bombs during the Eidul-Fitr holiday. Their sinister goal is to murder and maim as many innocent Libyans as possible in order to destabilize the fledgling democracy. These treacherous terrorists want to sow terror, violence and chaos in order to make the Libyan masses regret having revolted against and toppled the criminal autocratic Gaddafi regime.
In Tunisia, the cradle of the Arab Spring, the "France Party", which includes Tunisians who are Arab in name but French in everything else, including culture, enmity to Islam, and lifestyle, have been revolting vociferously against the new democratically-elected Quasi-Islamic rulers of the North African country.
The brazenness of some these people's demands would give one the impression that the right thing to do was to maintain and consolidate the colonialist French culture, including excessive secularism, hostility to Islam, nudity, atheism and promiscuity while combating everything and anything remotely related to morality and Islam, the religion and way of life of the vast majority of the Tunisian people.
And in Morocco, the enemies of Islam seem hell-bent on thwarting the first Islamic government by holding it responsible for all the troubles in the failed monarchy ever since independence in 1956.
Even in some relatively innocuous entities in the Mashreq (eastern or Asiatic part of the Arab world), we are beginning to hear terms such as the Ikhwanization of the state. The term is not innocent or neutral. It is meant as a euphemistic rejection of Islam.
The disseminators of this poisoned propaganda know too well in their heart that the use of terms such as the "Islamization of the state" wouldn't achieve the required goal, namely to incite the often unsuspecting public against the Islamists. (It might actually produce a boomerang effect.) This is why they employ the more tendentious term "the Ikhwanization of the state" in order to discredit the Muslim Brotherhood's Islamic platform.
In one oil-rich Gulf Sheikhdom, we have been affronted with one prominent security official who seems to have particular difficulties shutting his mouth up. The visibly ignorant official, whose tongue functions much more swiftly than his mind ever does, has been vowing to arrest and imprison Islamist elements, comparing them with dangers posed by Iran.
The utter absurdity of that official's remarks prevents this writer from further commenting on him and his ludicrous ranting lest I inadvertently accord him a dignity he doesn't deserve.
Needless, to say, the Islamic movements in the Arab world must not preoccupy themselves with such distractions. The shipyard dogs are too many and it would be futile and counter-productive to waste attention and energy that should be utilized elsewhere. The dogs bark but the caravans must go on.
Indeed, instead of keeping reacting to bankrupt and malicious detractors, the Islamic movements should get busy implementing serious social and economic programs, including fighting poverty and other social ills and helping college students who don't afford to pay tuitions.
More to the point, the Islamic movements should see to it that alternative and effective media outlets be founded in order to help shape an Islamic public opinion which can be mobilized when necessary. This is a paramount matter since the existing public-sector media in countries such as Egypt and Jordan is decidedly anti-Islamist if not anti-Islamic.
Hence, the Islamic movements are urged to create as many new satellite TV stations as possible along with a large number of attractive and versatile internet sites in various languages in order to communicate the Islamic message and accurate information to the largest possible audience.
This is not to say, of course, that the Islamic movements should scale down its devotion to the Palestinian cause and confrontation with Zionism and Israel.
In the final analysis, the Islamic movement's commitment to the Palestinian cause is the single most important factor contributing to Islamists' popularity among the masses.
http://fwd4.me/18G5
Egyptian official denies reports about asking Gaza to hand criminals
A high-level Egyptian source denied news reports on Saturday claiming that Cairo asked the Palestinian government in Gaza to extradite three Palestinians accused of being involved in the Sinai terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 16 Egyptian soldiers.
The source told a German news agency on condition of anonymity that Cairo did not ask Hamas to deliver any Palestinian suspects because Egypt has not yet reached certain persons.
He added that the names of all criminals involved in the attack would be declared some time later as the Egyptian defense minister had promised during his visit to the Sinai last week.
The source noted that the security operation Eagle 2 is still ongoing to hunt down and capture all perpetrators and cleanse the Sinai of criminals.
The London-based newspaper Al-Hayat had claimed that the Egyptian security authorities agreed with the government in Gaza to hand it three suspects in the attack.
http://fwd4.me/18Fl
Egypt to open Rafah crossing in both directions
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, welcomed the Egyptian decision to open the Rafah crossing in both directions all week days.
"We appreciate the Egyptian decision to fully open Rafah crossing," Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a spokesman for the movement, said in a statement on Saturday.
He added that the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi kept his promise to ease restrictions on Gaza by opening the border crossing.
Hamas interior ministry spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein wrote on his Facebook page that the Rafah crossing will reopen on Sunday to civilian traffic in both directions at all times.
"The Egyptian side has informed us a few moments ago that the crossing would be open every day of the week," he wrote.
Egyptian authorities have decided a few days ago to open the Rafah crossing for three days only for medical patients, students, visa holders and those with other humanitarian reasons.
For his part, MP Jamal El-Khoudary, the head of the Popular Committee against Siege on Gaza, praised the Egyptian decision to open Rafah crossing in both directions and on daily basis, appreciating the Egyptian facilities witnessed by the Rafah crossing on Saturday where thousands of Gazans have passed after being stranded in Gaza while the Rafah crossing was closed.
Meanwhile, a Hamas delegation was to head to Cairo for security talks later Saturday, Hamas interior ministry spokesman al-Ghussein declared.
"A security team from Gaza will leave for several meetings with Egyptian security officials," he added.
He said that the goal was "to coordinate completely on all security issues, including border security and events which happened in Sinai and the Rafah border crossing”.
Asked if the Hamas delegation would take part in the Egyptian investigation, Ghussein said they would not be "directly involved" but would coordinate with Egyptian colleagues.
He denied speculation that some of the assailants had crossed from Gaza, confirming no Palestinian involvement in the deadly terror attack on an Egyptian army post in the Sinai Peninsula.
http://fwd4.me/18Fg 28 aug 2012, 08:07 , Respect -
Maria 27 aug 2012
Egypt security officials reach temporary cease-fire with Sinai militants
People watch as smoke rises from the burning remains of a building and vehicle after a firefight between Egyptian security forces and suspected militants in Sinai.
Egyptian newspaper reports that a delegation sent by President Morsi met with radical Salafi leaders on Saturday, resulting in agreements to cease fire and free prisoners.
Egyptian security officials have reached a temporary cease-fire agreement with heads of the radical Salafi organizations in the Sinai Peninsula, according to an Egyptian media report released on Monday.
The newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm reported that a delegation sent by Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi met with Salafi leaders in two mosques in the city of Sheikh Zayed on Saturday and reached an agreement to free prisoners, as well as discontinue fighting for a week.
It was also reported that Morsi’s chief of staff is expected to travel to Sinai, and meet with representatives of the Salafi organizations in person, in attempts to create a framework for two-sided discourse and stability in the peninsula.
An Egyptian security official that participated in the meetings stated that the negotiations began following the arrival of a senior Egyptian security official, and a temporary, 48-hour halt of military activity laid the groundwork for the agreements that ensued.
It was also reported that the meetings were initiated by heads of organizations loyal to Islamic Jihad, which called for an end to the fighting, in order to stop the bloodshed that followed the Egyptian military operation.
Meanwhile, the newspaper Al-Ahram quoted a senior Egyptian security official as saying that the operation will continue, as the Egyptian military is continuing its efforts to destroy underground tunnels used for smuggling goods in and out of Gaza. The official stated that to date, 15% of the total work has been completed, and there are over 1,000 tunnels connecting the two territories.
http://fwd4.me/18KE...Read more 28 aug 2012, 08:18 , Respect -
Maria 28 aug 2012
Voice of Israel: a Spy to be Freed as Part of a Prisoner Exchange Deal with Israel
On Tuesday 28th August, Voice of Israel radio revealed that an Israeli security senior official has visited Egypt yesterday 27th August, to seek a deal to release the spy Odeh Trabin, who is imprisoned in Egypt in a condition to release all Egyptian prisoners detained inside Israeli Jails.
The radio said in its report that Israel has approved on the condition, and will release 83 Egyptian prisoners in this swap deal that is expected to be on Wednesday 29th. Trabin was accused of spying for Tel Aviv.
http://fwd4.me/18Nv
Lieberman wants Egypt's Mursi to visit Israel
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday he hoped Egypt's new President Mohamed Mursi would soon visit Israel to back up his reassuring words.
Mursi told Reuters in an interview on Monday he would pursue a "balanced" foreign policy and indicated that Israel's peace treaty with Egypt was safe.
"We definitely hope to see President Mursi receive official Israeli representatives in the near future. We want to see him interviewed by the Israeli media. We want to see him visit Jerusalem as a guest of President (Shimon) Peres in Israel," the ultranationalist Lieberman told a legal conference in Tel Aviv.
Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood movement describes Israel as a racist and expansionist state. But the president resigned from it upon taking power after his election victory in June and he has avoided inflammatory language since.
Mursi's emphasis on balance in the interview with Reuters suggested he would seek a less explicitly pro-American role for Egypt in the region than under the ousted Hosni Mubarak. But he has also been at pains to reassure traditional allies.
Egypt and Israel made peace in 1979 after fighting four wars. Mubarak served for decades as a loyal US ally and guarantor of Egypt's status as the first Arab country to sign a treaty with Israel. Relations have remained cool despite the treaty, which is deeply unpopular with many Egyptians.
Lieberman said Mursi's words of reassurance were pleasing but he needed to do more.
Without mentioning Israel by name, Mursi indicated that Egypt's neighbor had nothing to fear from a new military campaign in the Sinai Peninsula, which he ordered after gunmen attacked an Egyptian border post, killed 16 guards and tried to storm across the frontier into Israel.
"I was happy to hear what ... Mursi said on Egypt's commitment to peace with Israel, the Camp David accords and the fight against terror," Lieberman said.
"It's a very important message. But whoever speaks of peace and stability must understand that this can't just be abstract and hypothetical. Peace also has tangible expressions. Peace is not telepathic."
Lieberman drew a rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week for suggesting Palestinians should vote out their president to help revive peace efforts.
Lieberman urged the Palestinians to hold a long-delayed election to choose "a new, legitimate, hopefully realistic" leadership that can "bring progress with Israel".
Netanyahu swiftly distanced himself from the comments saying that they did "not correctly represent the position of the prime minister or of the government as a whole".
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=515261
Egyptian President Morsi reassures Israel that peace treaty is safe
During an interview with Reuters, Egypt's new Islamist president vows to pursue a 'balanced' foreign policy.
Egypt's new Islamist president said on Monday he would pursue a "balanced" foreign policy, reassuring Israel its peace treaty was safe, hinting at a new approach to Iran and calling on Bashar Assad's allies to help lever the Syrian leader out.
Mohammed Morsi, who was elected in June and consolidated his power this month by dismissing top military leaders, is seeking to introduce himself to a wider world ahead of a trip to Iran - the first by an Egyptian leader in three decades - and China.
"Egypt is now a civilian state ... a national, democratic, constitutional, modern state," he told Reuters in his first interview with an international news organization since taking office as the candidate of the once-banned Muslim Brotherhood.
"International relations between all states are open and the basis for all relations is balance. We are not against anyone but we are for achieving our interests," said the U.S.-educated engineer, appearing confident and assertive in the marble-lined presidential palace.
The first leader Egyptians have elected in a 5,000-year history dating back to the pharaohs, he spoke in a room for visiting dignitaries surrounded by monarchy-era furniture, oil paintings and a grand tapestry on the wall.
Morsi, 61, came to power after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, who served for decades as a loyal U.S. ally and the guarantor of Egypt's status as the first Arab country to make peace with Israel.
His emphasis on balance suggests he is seeking a less explicitly pro-American role in the region, but he has also been at pains to reassure traditional allies.
Morsi's Brotherhood describes Israel as a racist and expansionist state, but he resigned from it on taking power and has avoided inflammatory language. He repeated his position that Egypt will continue to abide by international treaties, including its 1979 peace deal.
Without mentioning Israel by name, he indicated Egypt's neighbor had nothing to fear from a new military campaign in the Sinai Peninsula, which he ordered after gunmen attacked an Egyptian border post, killed 16 guards and tried to burst across the frontier into Israel.
"Egypt is practicing its very normal role on its soil and does not threaten anyone and there should not be any kind of international or regional concerns at all from the presence of Egyptian security forces," he said, referring to the extra police, army and other forces moved to the area.
The military campaign was in "full respect to international treaties", he said. The Egypt-Israel peace deal includes limits on Egyptian military deployment in Sinai.
Officials in Israel, already concerned that Egypt's Islamists will support the Brotherhood-offshoot Hamas in Gaza, have voiced worries about Egypt's build-up of heavy armour in Sinai to quash militants.
Morsi would not say if he would meet Israeli officials. Mubarak regularly received top officials although only went to Israel once for a funeral.
In an effort to increase Egypt's role in regional affairs, Morsi has called for dialog ue between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran to find a way to stop the bloodshed in Syria. Notably, the initiative has been welcomed by Iran, the only country in the group that supports Assad.
During his interview, Morsi gave a particularly strong call for Assad to be removed from power, suggesting that he is comfortable taking a high profile role in regional affairs. It is a message he will tak e on his trip to Iran and China, which, along with Russia, are the main countries backing Assad.
"Now is the time to stop this bloodshed and for the Syrian people to regain their full rights and for this regime that kills its people to disappear from the scene," Morsi said.
"There is no room to talk about reform, but the discussion is about change," Morsi said, adding Egypt had repeated that "the friends of the Syrian people in China and Russia and other states" need to back ordinary Syrians. However, Morsi said he opposed foreign military action in Syria "in any form".
First visit to Iran
In what could be an important sign of a shift in the region, Morsi's visit to Iran this week will be the first by an Egyptian leader since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations at the time over Egypt's support for the ousted Iranian Shah and its peace with Israel, and have yet to formally restore ties.
Officially, Morsi's visit is to attend a summit of the 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement, and he would not be drawn on whether Egypt would resume full diplomatic ties with Iran.
Asked whether he saw a threat from Iran, whose nuclear programm has sparked fears in the West and Israeli warnings that it could consider a military action, Morsi said: "We see that all the countries in the region need stability and peaceful co-existence with each other. This cannot be achieved with wars but through political work and special relations between the countries of the region."
After Iran, Morsi will travel in September to the United States, which still gives the Egyptian military e1.3 billion in aid a year.
Asked how the outcome of the U.S. election in November might change ties, Morsi said Egypt works with the United States as "a stable institution" rather than dealing with personalities.
Transformation
Stocky and well-dressed, Morsi spoke in good humor in the palace where Mubarak held court for decades.
Criticized at the start of his election campaign as a stiff politician who seemed more of a Brotherhood functionary than statesman-in-waiting, he has warmed to the role. His dramatic move against the army on Aug. 12 stamped his authority on the nation far more quickly than many had expected.
Morsi's rise to the presidency is not only a transformation for Egypt but also for him personally, climbing from a poor Nile Delta village to study in California before joining the Brotherhood. Like many members of the group, he was jailed for periods under Mubarak. They have swapped places and the 83-year-old former president is now serving life in jail.
Morsi sealed his rise to power this month with his audacious move to pension off military leaders who had ruled the country during the long transition after Mubarak was toppled last year. In his interview, he took care to praise the army in its transitional role and describe it as part of Egypt's "national fabric."
Liberals worry that the rise of Morsi and his Brotherhood group could lead to the imposition of Islamic Sharia law, which they fear will impose social restrictions in a country where a tenth of the 82 million people are Christians and tourist visits to its beaches and pharaonic ruins are a vital source of income.
Morsi said tourism would grow under his rule.
When asked whether the new constitution, now being drawn up by an assembly before being put to the nation on a referendum, would seek to implement the Islamic code, he said it was up to the Egyptian people to decide.
http://fwd4.me/18KA 29 aug 2012, 19:02 , Respect -
Maria 29 aug 2012
Qaraqe urges Egypt to include Palestinians in Israel swap deal
The Palestinian Authority minister of prisoners affairs has asked Egypt to include Palestinian detainees in a prisoner exchange deal with Israel.
Issa Qaraqe met Egyptian consul Hammam Abu Zaid in Ramallah on Tuesday and requested the inclusion of Palestinian detainees in a prisoner deal between Egypt and Israel, the minister said in a statement.
Voice of Israel radio reported Tuesday that Cairo and Tel Aviv may be close to a prisoner exchange to secure the release of Israeli Odeh Tarabin and 83 Egyptian prisoners held in Israel.
Israeli citizen Odeh Tarabin has been detained in Egypt since 2000 on espionage charges.
Egypt and Israel came close to a deal in April but the exchange fell through after Egypt terminated its natural gas agreement with Israel.
Meanwhile, Qaraqe urged the Egyptian consul to intervene and pressure Israel to respond to the demands of prisoners on long-term hunger strikes in Israeli jails, particularly Hassan Safadi and Samer al-Barq.
Al-Barq entered his 100th day of hunger strike on Wednesday and has been detained since 2010 without charge or trial. Safadi has been on hunger strike for 70 days.
Israel had agreed to free both prisoners following a previous hunger strike, but reneged on the deal leading the detainees to renew their strikes.
Qaraqe also requested Egypt's assistance in securing the release of all sick Palestinian prisoners held in Ramle prison clinic.
The minister Egypt's consul promised to relay his concerns to the Egyptian government.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=515418
Report: Egypt to provide Gaza power station with fuel
The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation has received instructions from President Mursi to provide Gaza with fuel for its sole power station, Al-Watan newspaper reported Wednesday.
Amro Mustafa, vice president of EGPC, made the comments to Al-Watan during an interview with the Egyptian newspaper.
The Egyptian company will provide 30,000 tonnes of fuel to Gaza's sole power station, as well as petroleum donated by Qatar. The fuel will arrive through the Al-Ouja crossing in Egypt's northern Sinai and will then be transported to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing within the next few days.
Gaza had been plagued by a fuel crisis since mid-February, when Egypt cut off supplies via a tunnel network under the border between the countries.
In late July, Egyptian officials said the amount of fuel supplied to Gaza would be more than doubled within a week, a Palestinian official familiar with the talks told Reuters.
The fuel, which is supplied by Qatar, transits from Egypt into Israel before it is delivered to Gaza in accordance with existing arrangements on the entry of goods into the territory that was captured by Israel from Egypt in a 1967 war.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=515341 31 aug 2012, 10:08 , Respect -
Maria 30 aug 2012
Egypt's losing presidential candidate says will return home
Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister, who lost his bid for the presidency in June, said on Thursday he would return to Egypt and criticized a corruption investigation against him that would mean he is arrested at the airport if he does.
Ahmed Shafiq left Egypt after losing a presidential election to the Muslim Brotherhood's Muhammad Mursi. On Wednesday, a judge said he was on a "watch list" and would be detained at the border on his return.
"The decision to place me on a watch list is political," said Shafiq told Sky News Arabia from Dubai. "I will return to Egypt when it is suitable for me to do so."
Shafik is under investigation over the allocation of 40,000 square meters of land to the two sons of former President Mubarak, who was ousted last year by a popular uprising against his 30-year rule.
Mubarak's sons, Alaa and Gamal, are in prison facing corruption charges. Their 84-year-old father was sentenced in June to life in prison over the killing of protesters.
Dozens of legal cases have been filed against Mubarak associates since he fell on Feb. 11, 2011.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=515805
Egypt security: 3 Bedouin suspected of Sinai assassination
Ibrahim Madan was killed in an explosion while riding his motorcycle in Sinai on Sunday
Egyptian security officials said Thursday that three Bedouin men from the Sinai are suspected of involvement in the killing of an Islamist militant earlier this week.
Two of them fled to Israel on Wednesday, while another was captured by a Jihadi group, the officials said.
Egyptian intelligence reports also accused Israel's security service Mossad of being involved in the operation.
Ibrahim Owida Nasser Madan was killed in an explosion while riding his motorcycle south of Al-Qasiya, 15 kilometers from the Israeli border, on Sunday.
At the time, an Egyptian intelligence report said he was hit by a missile fired by an Israeli drone.
Other officials told Ma'an that Madan may have been killed by a missile which exploded while militants were trying to launch it.
Israel told Egyptian authorities it was not involved in the incident, Egyptian security sources said.
Madan, a member of a Jihadi militant group, had just been released by Egyptian security services after he was detained a few days ago during an Egyptian security campaign in northern Sinai, the intelligence report said.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=515827 2 sep 2012, 08:47 , Respect -
Maria 1 sept 2012
Israel Offers The Release Of All Egyptian Detainees In Exchange For Spy
Egyptian daily, Al-Ahram, reported that the case of the Israeli spy, Odah At-Tarabeen, imprisoned in Egypt, has surfaced again after the Israeli Radio reported last Tuesday that Israel is willing to release all Egyptian detainees (83) in return for the release of its spy.
Al-Ahram said that an Israeli security official visited Cairo, last week, and met a number of senior Egyptian security official to discuss the case of At-Tarabeen, and the efforts to advance the prisoner swap deal.
The Israeli official submitted an official request to the Egyptian government asking them to release Tarabeen in return for releasing all 83 Egyptian detainees held by Israel. At-Tarabeen was arrested by the Egyptian security forces 11 years ago.
Al-Ahram said that Egypt handed Tel Aviv a list containing the names of all Egyptian detainees, and the charges that were filed against them, in order to ensure their release should the swap deal be implemented.
http://www.imemc.org/article/64167
Gaza not a threat to Egypt's security, Haniyeh says
The Gaza Strip is not a threat to Egypt's security, prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said Saturday.
Haniyeh made the comments while meeting with a security delegation in the coastal enclave, a statement said.
The Gaza premier applauded Egypt's treatment of the Palestinian people and Gazans in particular, adding that Gaza can be a source of security and cooperation for Egypt.
Relations between Egypt's new government led by President Muhammad Mursi and Hamas had deteriorated since an attack in which gunmen killed 16 Egyptian soldiers on the Israeli border in early August.
Egypt closed the Rafah crossing and moved to seal myriad smuggling tunnels with Gaza on suspicion they might have been used by militants who shot dead the soldiers.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=516342
IOF to impose buffer zone near the Egyptian border
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) announced plans to impose a buffer zone at the borders with Egypt in light of the volatile security situation in the Sinai Peninsula, Hebrew media revealed.
Israeli army radio reported that the IOF will establish in the coming days a buffer zone that bans Israelis from approaching the Egyptian borders no less than three hundred meters.
The resolution is in its final stages and only needs the chief of the Israeli General Staff's signature to be implemented, the radio added.
The radio quoted a senior official in the Israeli army as saying that whoever wants to enter that area has to get a special permit after prior coordination with the concerned authorities in the Israeli army.
2 sep 2012, 11:31 , Respect -
Maria 2 sept 2012
Security officials: 2 Bedouin killed in Sinai police ambush
EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- Two Bedouin men were killed in an Egyptian police counter-drugs ambush in Sinai on Saturday night, security sources said.
Suliman al-Ateeq and Sinai Mahmud were bringing a vehicle stuffed with Heroin into Sharm el-Sheikh when they ran into an ambush, the sources said.
"One of them tried to attack the police in order to escape... so the police opened fire killing the two men," a security official told Ma'an.
After the men were killed, furious Bedouin burned a police car and opened fire on Egyptian police. Egyptian security sources said the situation had been brought under control.
The isolated Sinai peninsula fell deeper into lawlessness after an uprising overthrew Egypt's autocratic president in 2011.
Bedouin have attacked police stations, blocked access to towns and occasionally taken hostages to show their discontent with what they see as their poor treatment by Cairo and to press for the release of jailed kinsmen.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=516373 3 sep 2012, 13:21 , Respect -
Maria 3 sept 2012
Egypt tanks 'withdraw from Sinai'
Egypt's on Monday army withdrew its tanks from Sinai and headed to Suez, military officials said.
On Friday, army officials told Ma'an that Egypt had declared a state of emergency along the Suez canal after receiving information that Jihadi groups planned to military bases at the sea port.
Egyptian military sources told Ma'an the army was moving its military hardware out of Sinai under Israeli pressure. It began moving tanks away from the border area on Wednesday, Egyptian security sources said.
Witnesses told Ma'an they saw around 20 Egyptian tanks leaving Sinai toward Suez city on Monday. Earlier, around 30 tanks headed to Ismailia, on the west bank of the Suez canal.
Some military officials said the withdrawal aimed to ease Israeli concerns over the buildup of troops near its border. Other security sources said the withdrawal began after Egypt's government struck a deal with jihadi groups to cease hostiities.
High-level security officials in Sinai have expressed disappointment in what they called the failure of a military campaign against Jihadi militants in the peninsula.
The peace treaty between Egypt and Israel limits military presence in the desert peninsula though in recent years Israel has agreed to allow Egypt to deploy more forces there to stem weapons smuggling and crime.
Egypt launched a military campaign in Sinai after militants attacked and killed 16 border guards on Aug. 5. Cairo has sent hundreds of troops, along with tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters into the North Sinai region since the start of military operations there on Aug.8.
Israeli officials have privately voiced concerns about heavy equipment being sent to areas where there are restrictions on weapon deployments under the 1979 peace treaty.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=516841
Egypt arrests suspected militants in Sinai
Egyptian security forces detained two suspected militants on Sunday morning in the northern Sinai, Ma'an's correspondent said.
Security forces raided an area south of the Sinai city of el-Arish and held eleven people for investigation, releasing all but two who they described as Jihadist members.
Egypt's military said on Wednesday it would broaden its offensive against militants in the Sinai Peninsula.
After militants attacked and killed 16 border guards on Aug. 5, Egypt launched an operation using the army and police to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons, including rockets and other arms, that are rife in the area.
The unrest has occurred mainly in North Sinai, where many people have guns and where Bedouin tribes have long complained of neglect by central government. They say they have seen no benefits from the expanding Sinai tourist resorts
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=516584
Egyptian security: Mossad agents entered Sinai
Israeli soldiers stand atop an Armored Personnel Carrier at the Kerem Shalom crossing, a military zone where the borders of Israel, Egypt and Gaza intersect, and where an Egyptian military vehicle that was seized by Islamist gunmen tried to storm the border into Israel on August 8, 2012.
Four Israeli Mossad officers infiltrated Egyptian territory last week, reportedly to carry out an assassination operation, Egyptian security sources told Ma'an.
It is the first time Israeli officials have infiltrated Egyptian territory since the 1979 peace treaty between both countries, security sources highlighted.
The Mossad agents were reportedly planning to carry out an assassination operation against Jihadist militants involved in the killing of Israeli tourists.
Investigations by Egyptian security forces show that Mossad agents entered over 15 kilometers into the Egyptian Sinai, accompanied by two Bedouins, with footprints and car tracks being found.
An Egyptian militant was killed in the Sinai peninsula last Sunday, Egyptian security sources said, but conflicting accounts were given of his death.
An Egyptian security official told Ma'an that the militant was believed to be involved in an attack on the Israeli border and suspected of involvement in a deadly assault on an Israeli tourist bus.
The intelligence report suggested Israel might have started an assassination campaign targeting armed Salafis in Sinai.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=516538 5 sep 2012, 09:21 , Respect -
Maria 4 sept 2012
Egypt replaces tanks with armored vehicles in Sinai
ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) -- Egypt's military is deploying light armored vehicles in Sinai to replace some heavy tanks whose presence at the border area had raised concerns in Israel, security sources said on Tuesday.
A source said last week the army had begun withdrawing some of the tanks, after they had been deployed as part of an operation against militants who attacked and killed 16 border guards on Aug. 5.
Disorder has spread in Sinai since former President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow last year. Analysts say Islamists with possible links to al-Qaida have gained a foothold, which has alarmed Israel.
The unrest has occurred mainly in North Sinai, where many people have guns and where Bedouin tribes have long complained of neglect by central government. They say they have seen no benefits from the expanding Sinai tourist resorts.
Hundreds of troops, along with tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters were sent to the area in a joint operation with police to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons, including rockets and other arms, rife in the area.
But Israeli officials have privately voiced concerns about heavy equipment being sent to areas where there have been restrictions on weapon deployments under a 1979 peace treaty, the first such treaty reached between Israel and an Arab state.
"Twenty tanks have been withdrawn from the central sector of Sinai toward Suez," a security source said, adding that about 20 armored vehicles have reached el-Arish city, the administrative center of North Sinai.
The sources did not give a clear answer to whether the withdrawal of tanks was taken in response to Israel's concerns or say how many tanks were still in Sinai.
The army said last week it would broaden its campaign in Sinai, involving a redeployment of forces but did not specify which areas they would redeploy to.
"The operation is entering a new phase that requires different equipment capable of facing and handling the situation in Sinai," military official told Reuters on Tuesday.
Another security source said the tanks were removed to be replaced with more "useful equipment".
Analysts said there was no doubt that the tanks were taken out to assuage Israeli concerns. "Egypt's decision to remove tanks was taken to calm Israel after it voiced concerns about the presence of tanks near its borders," Safwat al Zayaat, a retired army general and military expert said.
"As if the tanks were, as Egypt is saying now, not useful then why did it send them there in the first place?" he said.
A security source said security forces defused a land mine and a bomb on Tuesday planted by militants east of el-Arish. It was the fourth such incident since last week.
No one had yet claimed responsibility for the killing of the border guards on Aug. 5. But a Sinai-based Islamist militant organization, the Salafi Jihadi Group - which denies any involvement in the border attack - warned the Egyptian army that the crackdown would force it to fight back.
5 sep 2012, 10:06 , Respect -
Maria 5 sept 2012
U.S. - Egyptian Aerial Drills To Be Held Soon
The Middle East News Agency reported Tuesday that several American Air Force planes landed at an Egyptian Airbase to participate in joint drills with the Egyptian Air Force. The drills will start in the coming few days and will last for 10 days.
The Agency said that the drills aim at training the fighters on conducting joint defense and offense operations, and also aim at strengthening the administrative and technical cooperation between the Egyptian and the American armed forces.
Israeli daily, Maariv, reported that announcing the drills comes less than a week after the United States said it will be reducing the number of troops and equipment that will be used in joint drills with the Israeli army.
This will be the first time such drills take place since the Egyptians removed president, Hosni Mubarak, and elected the new Islamist President, Mohammad Morsi.
Maariv said that the joint training between the U.S. Army and the Egyptian Armed Forces is an indication to the strong relations between Washington and Cairo, especially since officials feared that the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Cairo will impact these relations.
The United States recently started talking about voiding $1 Billion of Egyptian debt as a sign of good will to the newly elected leadership in Egypt.
It is worth mentioning that Egypt started removing its tanks from the Sinai Peninsula after battling extremist armed groups, and replaced those tanks with fast and advanced armored vehicles.
Abbas To Meet Morsi In Cairo
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, will be arriving in Cairo on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit that will include a meeting with the newly elected Egyptian President, Mohammad Morsi, and Arab Foreign Ministers.
The talks will focus on the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories, and the ongoing investigation into the potential assassination of the late President, Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Press News Agency reported.
Palestinian Ambassador In Cairo, Palestine’s Permanent representative at the Arab League, Dr. Barakat al-Farra, told Palestine Press that Abbas meet with Morsi on Thursday, and that the talks will discuss the situation in the Arab world and bilateral relations between Palestine and Egypt.
Al-Farra noted the significance of Abbas' meeting with Morsi and the Arab Foreign Ministers in Cairo as it comes just before the scheduled sessions of the United Nations General Assembly. President Abbas will be addressing the Assembly demanding international recognition of the legitimate Palestinian right to independence and sovereignty by establishing an independent state in the 1967 territory, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
7 sep 2012, 10:11 , Respect -
Maria 7 sept 2012
Egypt Says It Identified 7 Who Participated In Deadly Attack Last Month
The Egyptian Interior Ministry reported that it managed to identify seven of the assailants who carried out the deadly attack against an Egyptian military base, last month, killing 16 Egyptian border guards and wounding several others.
Egyptian Interior Minister, Ahmad Jamal Ed-Deen, told the Al-Akhbar government-run newspaper in Cairo, that the security forces, and as part of their extensive operations in Sinai, managed to identify seven attackers.
The official did not say whether the seven were actually apprehended, and refused to provide any further details on the issue.
He said that the security forces are still operating against extremist elements and armed groups. The operations started after the attack was carried out against the Egyptian base; the army used air force, tanks, and armored vehicles, and deployed hundreds of Israeli soldiers in Sinai.
It is worth mentioning that Israel “expressed concern” about the deployment of tanks and heavy artillery in Sinai as such deployment violates the Camp David Peace Agreement between the two countries, but several Israeli security and military officials, in addition to political leaders, said that “Israel understands the need for this deployment and operations”.
A number of Israeli officials said that the Egyptian military operations in Sinai do not only protect the security of Egypt, but are also beneficial to Israel and its security along the border with Sinai.
Two weeks ago, Cairo and Tel Aviv managed to reach an understanding regarding the deployment of Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula. This deployment is the first since the two countries signed the Camp David Accords in 1978 and 1979.
9 sep 2012, 10:53 , Respect -
Maria 8 sept 2012
Sinai leader says Mossad and Dahlan are behind Ramadan terrorist attack
CAIRO, (PIC)-- A senior leader of the north Sinai Arabs said he has information about the involvement of the Israeli Mossad and Fatah official Mohamed Dahlan in the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 16 Egyptian soldiers in the holy month of Ramadan.
Majdi Salem, head of the Sinai tribal delegation to the Egyptian presidency, said he sent a letter to president Mohamed Morsi containing information proving that the Mossad and Dahlan were behind the attack.
He said he obtained his information supplied with evidence from reliable sources in the Sinai.
Salem also accused former military figures from the Egyptian ministry of defense of "complicity", saying they were aware before the attack happened that groups of Israeli undercover agents disguised as Arabs infiltrated into the Sinai.
In this regard, the Egyptian army said it would declare in a new conference on Saturday morning the details and results of its military and security operation that were launched in the Sinai following the attack.
It would also declare the names of those involved in this attack.
Gunmen open fire on Egyptian police station in Sinai
EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) -- Masked gunmen attacked an Egyptian military and police base in northern Sinai on Saturday morning, security officials said.
Assailants rode in on two vehicles and opened fire on the Sheikh Zuwaid police station, prompting return fire from officers stationed in guard towers, a Ma'an correspondent said.
It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.
Egyptian security officials told reporters they believe the attack was intended as a message to Egyptian forces that Jihadists are still present in Sinai and can attack police stations at will.
Disorder has spread in Sinai since former President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow last year. On Aug. 5 militants attacked and killed 16 Egyptian border guards at a post on Sinai's border with Israel.
The growing unrest has occurred mainly in North Sinai, where many people have guns and where Bedouin tribes have long complained of neglect by central government.
Hundreds of troops, along with tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters were sent to the area in a joint Egyptian army and police operation to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons, including rockets and other arms, rife in the area.
Egyptian Army says it destroyed 31 Gaza supply tunnels
Palestinian men transport bags of cement through tunnels used for smuggling goods, including food, fuel, and building materials, along the Gaza-Egypt border in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on August 23, 2012
The Egyptian Army says it has destroyed 31 Gaza supply tunnels in its recent operation in the Sinai Peninsula.
Army spokesman Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Ali told a news conference in Cairo on Saturday that 31 tunnels used to smuggle goods into the Gaza Strip were destroyed, Reuters reported.
The tunnels were used by Palestinians to transfer food, fuel, medicines, and other basic necessities of life into the besieged Gaza Strip.
During the operation, 32 people were killed and dozens more arrested, including foreigners, Colonel Ali added.
He also said that a huge cache of arms and ammunition was also seized during the operation.
“Egypt is coordinating with the Israeli side over the presence of Egyptian armed forces in Sinai. They know this,” the Egyptian Army official noted.
The tunnel trade is vital to Gaza's economy, which has suffered under a land, air, and sea blockade on the Gaza Strip by Israel and Egypt on the coastal territory imposed in June 2007.
Some 1.5 million residents of Gaza are being denied their basic rights, including freedom of movement, the right to a decent standard of living, and proper employment, healthcare, and education.
Although the Israeli military officially withdrew from Gaza in 2005, they still frequently bomb the tunnel network, saying Palestinian resistance fighters use the tunnels for storing and smuggling weapons.
But the Palestinians dismiss the allegations, arguing they have resorted to the underground tunnels to bring basic needs to the impoverished Gazans because the territory has been sealed by the blockade.
9 sep 2012, 11:35 , Respect -
Maria 9 sept 2012
Egypt says coordinating with Israel on Sinai security sweep
Israeli soldiers stand atop an Armored Personnel Carrier at the Kerem Shalom crossing, a military zone where the borders of Israel, Egypt and Gaza intersect.
By Marwa Awad
CAIRO (Reuters) -- Egypt and Israel are coordinating on Cairo's biggest security sweep in decades against militants in Sinai, in which 32 people have been killed, an army spokesman said on Saturday, the first clear statement on communication between the neighbors.
Israel fears Islamist militants, possibly linked to al-Qaida, have gained a foothold in the Sinai border area since the overthrow last year of President Hosni Mubarak.
Israeli officials have privately voiced concern about heavy military equipment being sent to Sinai, which is subject to restrictions on the deployment of weapons under the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.
Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Mohamed Ali told a news conference in Cairo that 32 "criminal elements" were killed and 38 suspects arrested, including non-Egyptians, during the operation which began on Aug. 7.
"Egypt is coordinating with the Israeli side over the presence of Egyptian armed forces in Sinai. They know this.
"The deployment of the armed forces on all the territory of Sinai is not a violation of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel," he said.
The sweep began after militants killed 16 border guards on Aug. 5 in the worst attack since Egypt's 1973 war with Israel.
Ali said the operation "will continue until its goals have been achieved ... These are not just military goals but also developmental goals for Sinai."
Bedouin tribes in the area have long complained of neglect by the central government.
Hundreds of troops with tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters were sent to Sinai in a joint operation with police to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons.
The Egyptian military is replacing some of its heavy tanks in Sinai with light armored vehicles, security sources said this week.
But Ali rejected the idea that Egypt was pulling out its heavy equipment in response to pressure from Israel. He said the operation was entering a new phase that required different equipment.
"The military operation is in the interest of all sides," he said.
Asked whether Egypt was coordinating with the United States over Sinai, Ali said: "Cooperation between Egypt and the US is strategic, long-standing and goes beyond simple military operations. However, the military operations in Sinai are independent, carried out by the capabilities of the Egyptian armed forces."
Some 31 tunnels used to smuggle goods into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip were also destroyed, he said. The tunnel trade is central to Gaza's economy which has suffered under an Israeli blockade on the Palestinian territory imposed in 2006.
The tunnels have also been used to smuggle weapons. "We have seized arms, rockets, RPGs and automatic rifles," Ali said.
Disorder has spread in Sinai since Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising, with Islamist militants stepping up attacks on Egyptian security forces and the Israeli border. Egypt's new president, Muhammad Mursi, has vowed to restore order.
"The armed forces will combat thought with thought and arms with arms. We will only use weapons with those who have weapons," Ali said.
...Read more 11 sep 2012, 18:02 , Respect -
Maria 11 sept 2012
Egypt Warns Israel Of Pending Attacks Against Israeli, US Embassies
Egypt’s Intelligence warned Israel and the United States that extremists are planning attacks against the embassies of the two countries in Cairo, and said that these attacks are planned by the “Global Islamic Jihad”.
The letter is dated September 4, and was addressed to the Egyptian deputy Interior Minister, General Sami Sidhom.
Israel claims that the global Islamic Jihad was behind the deadly attack against that to place last month against an Egyptian military base leading to the death of 16 officers.
The Al-Masry Al-Youm Egyptian paper reported that members of the Global Islamic Jihad, operating in Egypt, are planning these attacks,
The paper said that it received a copy of a confidential letter that was sent to Seedhom, informing him that “fighters in Gaza and in Egypt are planning the attacks against the two embassies”.
It added that those behind the plans have been identified as Nader Bassam Hussein, 22, from the Gaza Strip, and Osama Abu Talha who is believed to be Egyptian as no further information is available.
The letter was sent to all security centers, and national security forces in all districts in Egypt, and revealed that the Military Intelligence informed the Ministry of Interior last week that 22 members “of the most dangerous Jihadist groups in Sinai are planning terrorist attacks”, according to the paper.
Three of the twenty-two have been identified, and are believed to be in the Al-Giza city, they are also believed to be planning sensitive targets, police stations, and army camps.
4 Egyptian security officers injured in Sinai attack
EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- Four Egyptian security officers were wounded on Monday in an attack on their patrol by unknown gunmen in the southern Sinai, security sources said.
The group was attacked while patrolling an area in Wadi Feran, Egyptian security said, with two senior officials among the wounded.
Muhammad Mahmoud, 28, was seriously injured after being shot in the face, Abdullah Muhammad Abdullah, 26, was shot in the arm, and Majdi Mousa and Hatem al-Hikemdar were wounded by shrapnel.
The security officers were taken to Sharm el-Sheikh hospital for treatment.
Disorder has spread in Sinai since former President Hosni Mubarak's overthrow last year. On Aug. 5 militants attacked and killed 16 Egyptian border guards at a post on Sinai's border with Israel.
The growing unrest has occurred mainly in North Sinai, where many people have guns and where Bedouin tribes have long complained of neglect by central government.
Hundreds of troops, along with tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters were sent to the area in a joint Egyptian army and police operation to raid militant hideouts, arrest suspects and seize weapons, including rockets and other arms, rife in the area.