Some 25 Egyptiansarrested in November are being questioned by prosecutors for allegedlyplanning terrorist attacks, a security official and a lawyer saidSunday.
The security official said the suspects were arrested oncharges of stockpiling weapons and explosives to be used in "attacksagainst targets inside Egypt." The men werearrested in Mansoura, northeast of Cairo, two months ago and arebelieved to be members of a new Islamic militant group.
The official and lawyer both spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigations.
"Theyare accused of forming a new Islamic militant group based on ideas ofSayyid Qutb," said the lawyer referring to an Egyptian ideologueexecuted in 1966 whose ideas provide much of the intellectual basis fortoday's militant groups.
The Egyptian independent daily Al-MasryAl-Youm reported Sunday that the group was planning to attack USships in the Suez Canal and the tomb of revered Jewish holy man, AbuHatzira in the Nile Delta.
Quoting security officials, the paperalso said the group was planning to ship weapons and explosives toHamas for use in their rockets.
The report added that some of the suspects have received training in the troubled Sudanese region of Darfur.
Egyptsecurity forces have recently reported the arrest of several newterror groups looking to carry out attacks against Egyptian andforeign targets, mainly US and Israeli interests.