afrol News, 16 April - The Egyptian authorities have arrested nine alleged cell members of the Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah, who are accused of planning to carry out attacks inside Egypt. The men were arrested at the Sinai peninsula on suspicion of cross-border smuggling of arms.

Egypt has stepped up security measures against smugglers after prosecutors accused a Lebanese group Hezbollah of planning attacks in Egypt through a group of 49 men earlier this week.

However, Hezbollah's head of foreign relations Nawaf Mousawi said the Egyptian accusations are unfounded, saying the government should rater focus its energy and resources on its enemies.

Egyptian security officials had said earlier that several names came up during the interrogation of 49 suspects who have been arrested over the past five months, and accused of plotting attacks on Israelis in Sinai area on behalf of Hezbollah.

Media reports said Wednesday that the Egyptian prosecutor is discussing the possibility of including Hezbollah chief Hasan Nasrallah and his deputy Shiekh Naim Qassem in the charges made against the alleged Hezbollah cell.

The Hezbollah leader has denied his group had planned attacks in Egypt, but confirmed that Egyptian authorities had arrested a Hezbollah member working to supply military equipment to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.

The smugglers are reportedly sending weapons and goods via tunnels to Hamas-run Gaza. They are also sending goods and people, mainly African migrants, across the border into the Jewish state reports have said.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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