CAIRO: Egypt is in uproar over the admittance of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Al Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that a man detained in Egypt is a member of the Shia resistance group.
In a televised speech aired Friday night on Al Manar TV channel, Nasrallah said that Samy Hany Shihab, the Lebanese man who has been detained by Egyptian state security along with 48 others, was a member of Hezbollah and was in Egypt carrying out logistical work to help Hamas in Gaza.
“What he was doing on the Egyptian-Palestinian border was logistical work to help the Palestinian brothers to transport equipment for the resistance in Palestine . If helping the Palestinians is a crime, I officially admit to my crime, Nasrallah said Friday.
Nasrallah did deny however that there was any intent to carry out operations on Egyptian soil.
“Our man was smuggling arms to the Strip, but the rest of the accusations about terror attacks in Egypt are one big lie, he said.
In comments published in Al-Hayat newspaper Sunday, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said Egypt “will not allow any party, inside or outside Egypt, to endanger the lives of Egyptian citizens or jeopardize the national economy.
“Egypt s security is a red line that cannot be breached, touched or harmed. Egyptian security services are quite capable of protecting the domestic front, he added.
The Egyptian state press has been in arms over Nasrallah’s comments, and has responded furiously.
Karam Gabr of pro-government Rose Al Yousef wrote, “Egypt must start proceedings to try him in an international court. He has admitted to the crime. He must be handed to the Lebanese government as a war criminal. (For more on local press reactions, go to Page 3).
Even Israel has waded into the argument, with its Transport Minister Yisrael Katz stated Monday that Nasrallah deserved to die for his actions.
“Nasrallah deserves death and I hope that those who know what to do with him will act and give him what he deserves, he said.
The 49 suspects detained on suspicion of forming a cell affiliated to Hezbollah have been remanded in custody for a further 15 days for questioning. Although many of the detainees have been in the custody of state security for several months, the order for a detainment extension came from Prosecutor General Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud Thursday as he prepares to bring charges against them. Lawyer for five of the detainees, Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Maqsoud, told Daily News Egypt Friday that according to a released detainee, authorities had tortured the detainees while in the custody of state security. The detainee, Adel Ghareez, had been left paralyzed as a result and was moved to a hospital after his condition had deteriorated. His brother remains in custody. He was probably released because they thought he might die, Abdel-Maqsoud said, until now I have not been permitted to see any of the detainees. Ghareez claims the detainees were left naked in an air-conditioned room for 24 hours, and that cold water was poured into their detention rooms.
