Israeli-Arab suspected of smuggling weapons into Egypt

Egyptian security forces say suspect was in possession of with weapons, ammunition; Foreign Ministry is investigating the report.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
egyptian border 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
egyptian border 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
An Israeli-Arab man was arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle weapons across the Egyptian border, Egyptian security forces said on Sunday.
According to the report, the suspect was found with a wooden box containing a rifle, pistols and ammunition in his possession.
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A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, a driver for a tourism agency, was on his way to meet another tourism worker on the other side of the Taba Border Crossing.
The Foreign Ministry is investigating the report.
On Saturday, Egyptian media revealed that Israel and Egypt are putting the “finishing touches” on a list of prisoners to be freed in exchange for American-Israeli Ilan Grapel, though reports differed over the deal’s timing and scope.
Al-Youm al-Sabeh newspaper reported that Yasser Reda – Cairo’s ambassador to Israel who has been serving as an intermediary between the two countries on the issue – provided the prisoner list to Egypt’s Foreign Ministry this weekend.
Grapel, a law student from Queens, New York, has been charged with spying, sedition and inciting Egyptians to violence during the revolution that unseated president Hosni Mubarak.

Oren Kessler contributed to this report.