A suspect named Mohamed, 32, was arrested at the Cairo International airport as he arrived from Turkey on suspicion of being affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), the Ministry of Interior said Tuesday.
The ministry’s media office said that the defendant is originally from Sharqeya, and had contacted the extremist group via social media.
“The defendant was referred to the prosecution; he will spend at least 15 days in detention,” the office told Daily News Egypt.
According to preliminary investigations, the defendant travelled to Syria and participated in military operations in Sudan, local media reported. The news outlets claimed that the defendant confessed committing the alleged crimes.
Hundreds of defendants are currently standing trial in Egyptian courts on charges of being IS members or affiliates. They are accused of joining an outlawed group, plotting against the state, murder, and attempted murder.
The Egyptian state has targeted members of militant groups countrywide through massive security campaigns and heightening police presence in streets.
Former president Mohamed Morsi’s ouster in July 2013 was followed by a surge in militancy across the country, particularly in the Sinai Peninsula. Founded in 2011, the militant group, which was also designated a terrorist organisation by the US on 9 April 2014, has claimed responsibility for a string of attacks throughout the past few months.
