A security source has revealed that the kidnappers of seven Egyptian security personnel in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula have demanded the release of Islamist militants detained for almost two years. The militants, who allegedly belong to the Tawhid wal-Jihad group, were convicted of killing five security officers and one civilian during a string of attacks in June/July 2011 on an Al-Arish city police station and a North Sinai branch of the Bank of Alexandria. Twenty-five individuals were charged in the case. The security source, who asked not to be named, added that the kidnappers had accused Egyptian security forces of torturing one of the detained men. The security source added that there was "no evidence" that the kidnappers were either jihadists or non-Egyptians. The seven Egyptian security personnel were kidnapped by unknown assailants early on Thursday in Sinai. According to state news agency MENA, the seven abductees include one member of the Egyptian army, four port security officers and two state security officers. The men were abducted at a checkpoint near the 'Green Valley' region on the Rafah-Arish road in North Sinai, Reuters reported. Gaza-based Palestinian resistance faction Hamas, for its part, has declared plans to tighten border security and has offered to help Egyptian security forces find and arrest the kidnappers. A number of tourists have been kidnapped in Sinai this year, after which abductors usually demand the release of detained colleagues in return for the tourists' release. Thursday's kidnapping, however, represents the first time for security personnel to be abducted by Sinai-based militants. The restive Egypt-Gaza border region has witnessed an upswing in violence over the course of the past few months, featuring frequent clashes between security forces and militants. Ahram
