A group led by a Lebanese was arrested on charges of belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah, trying to set up headquarters in Egypt, promoting Shiite Islam and smuggling arms to Hamas through tunnels on the borders, al-Masry al-Youm has learnt.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution opened investigation three days ago.
The group, led by the Lebanese Sami Hani Shehab, consists of 40-50 elements, mostly Egyptians, plus some Palestinians. They were arrested three months ago. The group includes the Palestinians Nasser Khalil Abu-Umda, Nimr Fahmi Taweel, Hassan Shakal and his brother Nassar. But Shehab was arrested first.
Security has aborted a plot by the group to purchase houses at the border city of Rafah for millions of dollars to use them to smuggle weapons to Hamas, sources told the daily.
Security also managed to seize the homes’ ownership contracts.
Waleed, Shehab’s brother, said Islamic groups’ lawyer Montasser az-Zayat has been assigned the defense by Hezbollah.
Zayat said he had notified the Public Prosecution that the group members are being confined in unlawful places, demanding the Public Prosecutor to reveal where they are kept.
The Lebanese Embassy in Cairo declined to comment, but an anonymous official source in the embassy said the embassy is following up the case.