| Submit your comments on this article |
| Middle East |
| Egypt stopping attempted boomers |
| 2002-05-06 |
| Egyptian forces have been bolstered along the border with Israel as well as that with the Gaza Strip in an attempt to stop Egyptian nationals from joining the Palestinian insurgency. Recently, seven Egyptians were arrested on suspicion of seeking to cross the Sinai border into Gaza. Egyptian sources said those arrested included university students, particularly from Alexandria. They were composed of men and women who ranged from ages 19 to 30. A 25-year-old woman was found carrying explosives. Some of those arrested, the sources said, told authorities that they intended to volunteer for suicide attacks against Israel. One woman, identified as Jamila Bashari Mahmoudeen and one of three arrested, said she was influenced by television footage of the Israeli military campaign in West Bank cities earlier this month. Egypt is playing a very interesting game, and I think we're underestimating how smart Mubarak is. The recent statement that, "yeah, we'll declare on Israel. Give us $100 billion" got a lot of attention, but I think it was pure sarcasm. It was in response to the "let's you and him fight" pressure from other Arab states who wouldn't be devastated to the extent Egypt would. Remember, they expect the Israelis to win a war with them; they take pride in the fact that they weren't trounced as thoroughly as expected in the last one. Their actual behavior toward Israel and the U.S., whether they're getting along or not, is confined to diplomatic moves. They're non-committal to publicly hostile on the terror war, but when they get their hands on real Bad Guys they give 'em the high jump. The "government supported press" should probably carry a label that sez "The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect thos of the management." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |