Yazal denied, however, explicit US pressure to release Grapel, adding that if the US had pressured Cairo then the alleged spy's release would have happened earlier and not months following his detention.Yazal also criticized US Congressman Gary Ackerman's offer of more US aid in exchange for Grapel's release, telling an Egyptian TV such comments to Cairo were "not permissible."The offer, Yazal said, has been rejected. On Saturday, Egypt said it is considering granting the release of Ilan Grapel, a dual US-Israeli citizen arrested in June on suspicion of being a Mossad spy."Cairo is considering the release of Ilan Grapel, a US citizen accused of spying for Israel during the 25 January revolution, especially after promises from the US of offering more political and economic support in return," AFP quoted Egypt's official news agency as saying.According to the report, Grapel's parents were allowed to visit him on Saturday for the first time, along with US consul-general to Egypt, Robert Powers. Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported earlier on Saturday that US Congressman Gary Ackerman had called for the release of Grapel in exchange for more aid to Egypt.Grapel interned for Ackerman, whose office is near his home in Queens, in the summer of 2002.Grapel was arrested at his downtown Cairo hotel by Egyptian state security officers in June on suspicion of working for Israeli intelligence to foment sectarian strife and gather intelligence on post-revolution Egypt.
Panetta to meet officials in Cairo over Grapel's release
Egyptian security official tells 'A-Sharouk' that US congressman's offer of more US aid in exchange for Grapel's release has been rejected.
Yazal denied, however, explicit US pressure to release Grapel, adding that if the US had pressured Cairo then the alleged spy's release would have happened earlier and not months following his detention.Yazal also criticized US Congressman Gary Ackerman's offer of more US aid in exchange for Grapel's release, telling an Egyptian TV such comments to Cairo were "not permissible."The offer, Yazal said, has been rejected. On Saturday, Egypt said it is considering granting the release of Ilan Grapel, a dual US-Israeli citizen arrested in June on suspicion of being a Mossad spy."Cairo is considering the release of Ilan Grapel, a US citizen accused of spying for Israel during the 25 January revolution, especially after promises from the US of offering more political and economic support in return," AFP quoted Egypt's official news agency as saying.According to the report, Grapel's parents were allowed to visit him on Saturday for the first time, along with US consul-general to Egypt, Robert Powers. Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm reported earlier on Saturday that US Congressman Gary Ackerman had called for the release of Grapel in exchange for more aid to Egypt.Grapel interned for Ackerman, whose office is near his home in Queens, in the summer of 2002.Grapel was arrested at his downtown Cairo hotel by Egyptian state security officers in June on suspicion of working for Israeli intelligence to foment sectarian strife and gather intelligence on post-revolution Egypt.