Egyptian charged in espionage case
Three Israeli intelligence officers and an Egyptian are charged with spying for Israel.
Bank records used
Lina al-Ghadban, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Cairo, reported that investigations into this case started in 2002 based on intelligence from Egypt’s national security services.
The Israelis recruited Attar, a former student of al-Azhar University, while he was living in Turkey in August 2001, according to Badawi.
They helped Attar obtain a residency permit in Canada under a fake name, and found him employment in a bank.
Attar spied on Egyptians and Arabs during his time in Turkey and Canada and used his position in the bank to obtain information on specific accounts, Badawi said.
Potential recruits
Attar was also expected to approach potential recruits to the spy ring.
According to the prosecution’s investigation, Attar succeeded in recruiting Egyptians and Arabs in Turkey and Canada.
Badawi said Attar was paid $56,000 between August 2001 and January 1 2007, when he was arrested at Cairo airport.
He said Attar would stand trial before a high state security emergency court.
No scope for appeal
The court operates under the state of emergency and its judgments cannot be appealed.
Israel confirmed that it was the subject of espionage allegations in Egypt but said it could not add to the details reported in the media.
“We only know what we have heard in the media. I am not aware of anything other than what has been reported,” said Mark Regev, Israel’s foreign ministry spokesman.