On Sunday Ismailia prosecution ordered three police officers and 11 low-ranking policemen and conscripts to be detained for four days, pending investigations, after six prisoners escaped from Ismailia prison on Friday. The 14 policemen face charges of gross negligence. On the day of the escape the Interior Ministry issued a statement saying “six inmates fled the Ismailia Future Central Prison, rioting as they tried to escape and engaging in an exchange of fire with the police”. One of escapees was arrested hours later. A senior officer and a civilian were killed in the course of the escape. Major Mohamed Al-Husseini, head of Abu Souir Investigation Department, was shot as he chased the inmates. Ahmed Rizk, who was passing close to the prison at the time of the escape, was killed in crossfire. The escapees include three extremists arrested a week ago while trying to smuggle weapons into North Sinai. The remaining three were facing criminal charges. A day after the escape reports appeared claiming a dozen armed men in pick up trucks aided the fugitives in their getaway, showering the prison with bullets from automatic weapons. Major General Tarek Attia, Assistant Interior Minister for Media and Public Relations, denied the reports. “This didn't happen at all. The escape occurred as a result of internal failures,” Attia said. He added that the Interior Ministry would overhaul security procedures in prisons. According to a report published by state-owned daily Al-Ahram the recaptured prisoner has told investigators the escape was facilitated by an inside accomplice who provided the six men with weapons in exchange for LE100,000. Investigators who inspected the scene removed all empty bullet casings for examination. CCTC recordings are being examined and a number of prison officials summoned for interview. On Monday the Interior Minister removed several security officials in Ismailia, including the head of Ismailia's Security Directorate Ali Abdel-Aziz. He has been replaced by Major General Essam Saad. Major General Mamdouh Monsif replaces Gomaa Tawfik as Ismailia's Assistant Security Chief. Major General Mahmoud Farouk has been replaced as Ismailia Criminal Investigation Director by Major General Ibrahim Amin. Colonel Wael Nassar, General Security Inspector in the governorate, and General Mohamed Al-Kholi, assistant to Ismailia's Security Directorate, have also been relieved of their posts. The Ismailia National Security Inspector was also moved to National Security's Cairo headquarters according to Akhbar Al-Youm daily.
