CAIRO: Egyptian security officials along the Sinai border with Israel on Thursday arrested a Palestinian-Israeli citizen after the man was found to be carrying a weapon and a large quantity of ammunition in his possession, border guards and Maan news agency reported. The man was not identified and it is unclear where he was heading and what he planned to do with the weapon and ammunition. He was reported to have been working for an Israeli tourism company and was traveling with his wife to the Egyptian resort town of Taba. The discovery was made after security guards searched the man's car as he entered Egypt via the Taba Border Crossing with Eilat. It is unclear how he evaded Israeli security on the other side. The suspect was detained when he failed to provide an adequate explanation for the weapon and ammunition, and has been transferred for investigation to facilities in southern Sinai, security sources were reported to have said. The arrest comes as diplomatic relations between Israel and Egypt continue to teeter on the brink of disaster, with growing tension over Ilan Grapel, an American-Israeli citizen, continues to be held on espionage charges in Egypt, although officials have said publicly that he is not a spy. Egypt is considering swapping the joint national, suspected of spying for Israel, for 81 Egyptians detained in Israel, the state-owned daily Al-Ahram newspaper said this week. BM
