A group of terrorists identified as a "gang" by Egyptian tourism officials has demanded a $15 million ransom for the safe return of a group of 11 tourists and four Egyptians in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, along the border with Sudan. According to the Foreign Ministry, the terrorists kidnapped the group during a jeep tour on Saturday, although news of the attack wasn't released to the media until Monday.

Among those who were kidnapped are five Italians, five Germans and one Romanian national, according to the Egyptian Tourism Ministry. Israeli officials denied there were Israelis among the group.

The Reuters news service reported that the terrorists may have spirited the hostages into Sudan. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. According to Egyptian Tourism Minister Zoheir Garana, the kidnappers, who were veiled, have demanded a ransom for their hostages but have still not identified themselves.

 

Aswan is located in southern Egypt, 425 miles (685 kilometers) south of Cairo, on the east bank of the NileRiver. It is considered a busy tourist and trade center.

 

Israeli counterterrorism officials have been wracking their brains in recent months to find ways to stop Israelis from traveling to Egypt on holiday jaunts. Although they largely succeeded in stemming the flow of Jewish traffic south to the Sinai, officials continue to issue terror alerts and warn Israelis to restrict their holiday travel to more local venues.

 

Thousands of Israelis usually flock to the Sinai at the beginning of the Jewish New Year, despite the traditional flurry of terror warnings, but this year in particular, officials have become increasingly concerned due to a growing number of concrete alerts of plots to kidnap Israelis.

 

Earlier this month, officials even considered instituting legal measures to prevent Israelis from entering the Sinai Peninsula through the Taba Crossing.

 

Last week Egypt opened its border at the Rafiah Crossing with Gaza in order to facilitate the passage of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Authority Arab residents who were making the annual Ramadan pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

 

Israeli officials expressed deep concern over Egypt’s decision to leave the terminal open to traffic for two days – a move which would automatically also allow free movement for terrorists to travel back and forth from Gaza as well.