Egypt arrests militants plotting Suez attacks
Authorities arrest 25 people linked to al-Qaeda on suspicion they plotted attacks on pipelines and ships in Suez Canal
Egypt's Interior Ministry said Thursday authorities have arrested 25 militants linked to al-Qaeda on suspicion of plotting attacks on oil pipelines and ships crossing the Suez Canal.
In a statement issued Thursday, the ministry said the new cell is led by a Palestinian and includes 24 Egyptians, mostly engineers and technicians.
They planned to use mobile phones to detonate explosives against ships crossing the Canal, the statement said. The group learned how to make car bombs through communicating with al-Qaeda militants on jihadi websites, according to the statement.
The detainees confessed to funding their activities through contributions from Islamic charities abroad and in one case robbed a jewelry store and murdered its Coptic Christian owner.
About three months ago Egypt arrested dozens of operatives suspected of ties with Hezbollah. Authorities believed they were plotting to attack Israeli tourists in the Sinai peninsula.
