Border with Egypt
Border with EgyptIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Egyptian authorities have arrested a local resident for “loving Israel,” the Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper reported on Sunday.

According to the report, the 24-year-old was arrested in the Sohag governorate in southern Egypt. He was arrested for allegedly writing to Israeli nationals through Facebook and criticizing Egypt and Egyptians as well as declaring his love for the Jewish state.

Major General Ibrahim Saber, Sohag security chief, was notified of the arrest of the 24-year-old who allegedly has a tattoo of the Star of David on his arm, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm.

Investigators quoted by the newspaper said that upon searching his home, they found a Hebrew dictionary, two bullets, $100, four IDs for him with different professions and an employee card from the South Sudan embassy.

A number of photos of Israeli officers and Israeli flags were found on his computer, the report said.

Police say the suspect revealed that he has met several Israeli tourists when he traveled in 2011 to Sharm al-Sheikh and worked as a driver at a tourist resort, convincing him to travel to and live in Israel. He added that he went to the Israeli embassy in Cairo to try and get a visa claiming he was going to visit Jerusalem but was unsuccessful.

Egypt is notorious for arresting people which it blames of being “Israeli spies.”

Last month, Egypt tried five alleged officers from Israel's Mossad spy agency and three Egyptians in absentia, on charges of spying for the Jewish state.

Egyptian prosecutors have accused the eight of espionage and supplying Israel with information impacting Egypt's national security.

Several weeks later, prosecutors in Egypt charged two Egyptian men with spying for Israel. In addition, they charged two alleged Israeli Mossad agents in absentia.

The prosecution named “Shmuel Ben-Zev” and “David Weisman” as Mossad agents who had spied against Egypt.

In October of 2011, Israel freed 25 Egyptians in exchange for the release of a U.S.-Israeli, Ilan Grapel, who had been held in Cairo for four months on spying charges.

Several months ago, an Egyptian lawyer was accused of spying for Israel because he was surfing on Israeli websites in an internet cafe.

An Egyptian Governor also memorably blamed the Mossad for shark attacks along the Egyptian coast; later, a stork was detained by Egyptian police over fears that it was being used by Israel for spying.