Egyptian police continue to operate against Hamas arms smugglers in Sinai and on Sunday seized over a half a ton of explosives intended for Gaza. Egyptian authorities also revealed that they had captured an Iranian spy cell on their soil.
The latest arms cache seized by Egyptian security personnel included mines and missiles, and was uncovered in the Sheikh Swid area of North Sinai. Egyptian police also reported earlier in the day that they found a dead smuggler in a tunnel which had collapsed four days earlier.
The report came right on the heels of the Egyptian police’s seizure last week of another arms stockpile. According to Egyptian sources, police found 266 rockets, 3 anti-aircraft missiles, 43 mines, 51 mortar shells, 21 grenades, and machine gun ammunition in northern Sinai intended to be smuggled to Hamas.
Egypt has stepped up anti-smuggling activity as of late, and according to reports, weapons smugglers are trying to come up with new methods of evading detection.
The Egyptian efforts have extended beyond weapons smuggling, and the Al-Mustaqbal Lebanese paper reported Friday that Egyptian police had arrested four Iranians who had established an intelligence network on Egyptian soil.
The captured cell reportedly admitted to attempting to spread Shiite Islam in Egypt, form relationships with tribes in Sinai, and wage a pro-Iran propaganda campaign. Iran has offered to trade the four captured spies for six Egyptian men Iran is currently holding in custody.
Egypt also demonstrated its desire to act out against Islamist terrorist groups when it arrested a Hizbullah terrorist cell operating in its territory almost two months ago. The cell had planned on attacking Israelis vacationing in Sinai.