Watch: Egyptian prison breaks; terrorists flee to Gaza

New videos online show thousands of inmates who escaped Egyptian jails as a result of the civil unrest, including Palestinian terrorists.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

FEBRUARY 8, 2011 13:31

Protesters in Tahrir Square barbed wire 311 AP (photo credit: AP) — Protesters in Tahrir Square barbed wire 311 AP

(photo credit: AP)

Twelve days after anti-government demonstrations engulfed Egypt, new videos uploaded to YouTube provide a glimpse into the escape of thousands of inmates from Egyptian prisons. The videos also touch on the aftermath of the prison breaks, and the return of two Palestinian terrorists to their homes in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of inmates reportedly escaped Egyptian prisons and many were able to return to Gaza via underground smuggling tunnels located throughout the Egypt-Gaza border.

The following video details how 27-year-old Palestinian Hassan Wshah, along with several other hundred inmates, escaped Abu Zabaal prison in Cairo during the demonstrations. Wassa was serving a 10-year prison sentence for attempting to cross into Egypt from Gaza in order to carry out terror attacks against Israel. Wassa explains that the escape was assisted by inmates' families and that he returned to Gaza through a smuggling tunnel at the Rafah border crossing.

The next video shows the remains of an Egyptian prison where looters broke-in, set the prison on fire and released thousands of prisoners. The video explains that some inmates decided to remain within the prison, some wanting to finish their remaining sentence and others fearing that they will be caught by Egyptian police and re-sentenced.

The video below explains how Hamas commander Ayman Nofal returned to his home in central Gaza after serving three years in the Abu Zabaal prison. Nofal was arrested in 2008 for planning to carry out terror attacks in Egypt. Nofal made his way to the Strip via underground tunnels in Rafah.

This clip, titled "Prisoners escape with the help of Egyptian police," shows prisoners fleeing an unidentified Egyptian prison. A man wearing dark clothing runs from cell to cell yelling "Come on! Go home! Immediately! Go home!" As the cells are opened, the inmates steal necessities and continue outside.