Egypt: Israeli 'Mossad agent' to be tried in absentia

Cairo alleges that Israeli Ofir Harari, Jordanian national worked for Mossad to recruit Egyptians in telecoms sector
 

Roee Nahmias and AFP 

 

Latest Update:  08.14.11, 22:21 / Israel News

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An Israeli and a Jordanian are to go on trial in Egypt on charges of spying for Israel's intelligence services, Cairo's news agency MENA reported on Sunday.

Ibrahim abu-Zaid, a telecoms engineer from Jordan and Israeli Ofir Harrari, who the Egyptians say is an "officer with the Mossad" are to go on trial in Egypt's State Security Court on charges of "spying for a foreign country with the purpose of harming Egyptian national interest," the report said.

Harari, who has not been arrested, will be tried in absentia.

Egypt: Israeli 'spy' to remain in jail / Roee Nahmias Israeli-American Ilan Garpel to be held for another 15 days on espionage charges Full story

Abou Zeid was reportedly arrested in April 2010, prior to Egypt's January 25 Revolution. He was interrogated by National Security Prosecution after Egyptian intelligence had detected "espionage activities" between him and Harari, serving Israeli intelligence.

Harari had allegedly tasked the Jordanian with recruiting Egyptians working in the telecoms sector "to obtain technical data," and the two had devised a system to bug telephone calls in Egypt.

It was not immediately clear when the trials would begin.

On June 12, Egypt arrested US-Israeli dual national Ilan Grapel on suspicion of spying for Israel, which denied any such charge.

Egypt's espionage allegations come at a sensitive time when Israel is trying to understand where Egypt's new temporary regime is headed. I

It has been estimated both in Israel and in Egypt that the Egyptian allegations stem from a wish to appease Egyptian demonstrators protesting against the close relations that existed between Israel and Egypt in the pre-uprising days.
 
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