The National Security Agency raided a number of rented flats in Giza Thursday after it claimed to have received information on Jordanians and Palestinians that infiltrated Egypt to create chaos.
National Security Agency officers and criminal police officers inspected 167 rented flats inhabited by 281 people, including 31 Palestinians and Jordanians.
The crackdown started Thursday at dawn and led to the arrest of 25-year–old Palestinian student Ibrahim M.Z., living in the Talebiya neighborhood; 22-year-old student Mostafa A.; 24-year-old student Mohamed S.; 19-year-old model Rehab A.; 19-year-old model Shaimaa M. and16-year-old model Hasnaa A.
The police said that Ibrahim M.Z. was running a prostitution ring out of the flat, and added that three pieces of cannabis were discovered in the flat along with US$900, a sound pistol and 20 sound bullets. They added that the Palestinian student did not have a residency permit.
Brigadier Essam Saad, head of Cairo's Criminal Investigations Department, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the police are carrying out a nationwide crackdown against illegal aliens and criminal activity. He added that rumors regarding the arresting of foreigners who came to Egypt to carry out sabotage plans are totally untrue.
Saad said that typically, 99 percent of those caught in these crackdowns are released. He noted that talk about arresting foreigners could negatively affect tourism.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
