Libyan arms seized in Egypt

Tripoli, 13 May:

Egyptian security forces said on Saturday that they had seized a large consignment of weapons smuggled in from Libya. . . .[restrict]The weapons included 50 missiles, a mortar, seven machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition. The munitions were discovered in three trucks near Mersa Matruh close to the Libyan border.

Egypt has made several previous announcements about the confiscation of weapons coming from Libya. It is suspected that many are being smuggled to Sinai and then to Gaza.

Last week, Egyptian security sources suggested that Iran was behind the smuggling of weapons from Libya into Sinai to use in attacks on Israel.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that an investigations has been launched in Mersa Matruh  into a human smuggling ring following the arrest earlier this week in the town of 15 Egyptians who, is it claimed, were being smuggled into Libya.

The 15, said to be from Assiut, had according to the prosecution paid £E 5,000 each to be smuggled into Libya. [/restrict]