Egyptian security authorities re-arrested Sheikh Mohamed Rabea al-Zawahiri, who had been released three days ago from the high security Aqrab prison. He is the brother of the second-in-command of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
A prominent member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad organization led by his brother Ayman, he received a life sentence in the UAE for terrorism and was extradited to Egypt in 1999. On Thursday, the military released him with 59 detainees who had been convicted of belonging to Islamist groups.
Nizar Ghorab, a lawyer, has submitted a report to the attorney general accusing Minister of Interior Mansour al-Essawy of detaining al-Zawahiri and taking him to an unknown destination without a judiciary warrant. Ghorab said it is difficult for him to communicate with his family and lawyers.
Ghorab told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the detention is evidence that the State Security Investigation Service (SSIS), last week declared dissolved by al-Essawy, continues to operate in secret. SSIS offices nationwide were shut down and the service was replaced by the new National Security agency, tasked with countering terrorism without interfering in citizens' personal affairs.
Al-Zawahiri's son, Abdul Rahman, said, "We were surprised by security agents arresting my father at 11 PM on Saturday. Some were plain-clothed. They pointed their weapons at us while large numbers of policemen imposed tight security on the street."
Abdul Rahman said the police refused to show their ID cards. "Despite all these weapons, you ask whether we are policemen!" he quoted them as saying.
He did not rule out his father’s recent interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm — in which he shared his ideas — playing a role in his detention.
