Egyptian police are looking for 12 gold traders in Cairo and other governorates on suspicion of helping the bodyguard of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, to smuggle large quantities of gold to Gaza through illegal tunnels in Sinai, according to security sources.
Mohamed Na’eem, Haniyeh’s bodyguard, was arrested in April and charged with smuggling gold, money and suspects involved in terrorism attacks in Egypt and the Palestinian Territories. He remains in the custody of Egyptian authorities.
Na’eem came to Egypt to seek a political science degree.
Smuggling between Egypt and the Gaza strip is endemic but rose markedly in response to the Israeli-Egyptian imposed blockade following Hamas' takeover of the strip in 2007.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
