Islamists claim that Egyptian authorities have arrested and prosecuted nearly 100 Muslim fundamentalists over the last six weeks, according to a report by the Middle East Newsline (MENL).
Sources in Cairo and London were quoted as saying that the arrests took place mostly in Cairo and Alexandria.
About 25 of the arrests were of suspected Muslim Brotherhood members. The group is banned in Egypt but operates through front groups in both Parliament and leading trade unions.
Another 75 fundamentalists are said to be suspected insurgents connected to the Jihad group.
The London-based Islamic Guidance Monitor said the arrests of suspected Jihad members were connected to the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in east Africa.
Several aides of Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden were recently convicted in a New York court, and one of the defendants turned state witness, providing details of Bin Laden's satellite groups around the Arab World.
Egyptian authorities arrested several businessmen during their sweep, including nationals from Azerbaijan and the Russian republic of Dagestan, according to MENL.
Late last month, two leaders of Jihad, sentenced in absentia to jail terms, were extradited to Egypt by two undisclosed Arab countries.
The two officials, Ayman Abdel Razek and Manssur Ghazi, each sentenced to three years in jail in 1993 and 1998, respectively, were extradited following a request by Egypt to authorities in the two unnamed countries, AFP reported - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
