Rights group: Case of 22 arrested Egyptian men shows pattern of abuse

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Egypt's Interior Ministry made headlines here almost two years ago when it announced the arrest of 22 men and accused them of a string of spectacular plots, including attacking pipe lines, tourists and Christian clerics. But that was also the last time the public heard about the so-called "Victorious Sect" extremist group - the prosecution quietly decided not to take the case to court. In a report released Tuesday, Human Rights Watch accused the Egyptian government of arresting the men without ever having real evidence against them and instead tortured them and forced them to make false confessions. "Beyond coerced confessions, there appears to be no compelling evidence to support the government's dramatic claims. Indeed, it appears that SSI (state security) may have fabricated the allegations made against at least some and possibly all of the them," the report said.