Official says terror cell aimed to contact Egyptian Islamists, enter Palestinian territories to attack Israel
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Egyptian authorities are questioning seven members of an alleged Somali terror cell planning attacks on Western interests in Egypt and Israel, a security official told AFP on Sunday.
Authorities detained a Somali, Yussef Ahmed Hassan, at Cairo airport last month after suspecting he was travelling on a forged passport from Morocco, the official said.
Hassan was searched and airport officials found dozens of fake passports on him, as well as fake birth certificates, visas and airline tickets.
His arrest led to the capture and detention of other members of the group also coming from Morocco, the official said.
During questioning, the men had confessed to "planning attacks against Western interests, particularly American interests, in the country."
The official said the group also aimed to make contact with Islamist groups in Egypt before "entering the Palestinian territories to carry out attacks against Israel."
Source: AFP