CAIRO: Police have detained an American-Egyptian man who arrived in Cairo on a flight from New York with several weapons in his luggage, airport officials said Wednesday. The officials said the man was taken into custody as he tried to pass through customs with a metal box containing two 9 mm handguns, 250 bullets, several swords, daggers and knives. The box had been checked and the contents were discovered during a routine inspection upon arrival on an EgyptAir flight from New York's JFK International Airport in Cairo, according to the officials. They said customs inspectors were then alerted and the man was detained. He was identified as Mohamed Ibrahim Marei, a US university professor of Egyptian origin. Customs officials noticed the passenger looked nervous and decided to open his luggage. They found two handguns and 250 bullets hidden in metal boxes, an official said on condition of anonymity. In a secret compartment in the bag, authorities also found two swords, five daggers and six knives, he added. A police official confirmed the man was questioned by agents of the powerful State Security Apparatus and the case had been turned over to prosecutors for further investigation. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to reporters.
