Say it Ain't So Part 1 Egypt as entrace to terror tunnels not mentioned in
Department of State Report

[IMRA: For some reason, the US Department of State Report, in its
discussion of Egypt in its report on global terrorism, does not feel it is
relevant to discuss the "terror underground highway" that runs from Egypt to
the Gaza Strip via tunnels. The tunnels are the primary source of weapons
and explosives in the Gaza Strip.]

Patterns of Global Terrorism -2001
http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2001/html/10247.htm
Released by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism
May 21, 2002

Middle East Overview
...

Egypt

The Egyptian and US Governments continued to work closely together on a
broad range of counterterrorism issues in 2001. The relationship was further
strengthened in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Key Egyptian
Government and religious officials condemned the attacks; President Mubarak
was the first Arab leader to support the US military campaign in Afghanistan
publicly. Egypt also supported efforts to cut off the flow of terrorism
financing by strengthening banking regulations, including preparing a
money-laundering bill for this purpose. The Government of Egypt renewed its
appeals to foreign governments to extradite or return Egyptian fugitives.

Other actions taken by the Government of Egypt to support US
counterterrorism efforts following the September 11 attacks included
continuing to place a high priority on protecting US citizens and facilities
in Egypt from attack; strengthening security for US forces transiting the
Suez Canal; implementing aviation security directives; agreeing to
participate in the voluntary Advanced Passenger Information System; and
granting extensive overflight and Canal transit clearances.

Egypt itself has been for many years a victim of terrorism, although it has
abated. No terrorism-related deaths were reported in Egypt in 2001, but the
Egyptian Government continued to regard terrorism and extremist activity as
an urgent challenge. The Egyptian Government indicted nearly 300 Egyptians
and foreigners on terrorism-related charges. They will be tried by a
military tribunal. Other terrorists' detentions were extended. Of those
arrested, 87 were members of a group Egyptian authorities dubbed "al-Wa'ad"
(The Promise). They were accused of planning to assassinate key Egyptian
figures and blow up strategic targets; at the time of the arrests,
authorities reportedly discovered arms caches and bomb-making materials.
Those arrested included 170 al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (IG) members, accused of
killing police and civilians. They also were accused of targeting tourists
and robbing banks between 1994 and 1998. Egypt's principal terrorist
organizations, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) and the IG, suffered
setbacks following September 11. International members of both groups and
some suspects were returned to Egypt from abroad for trial. The Government
renewed its appeals to foreign governments to extradite or return other
Egyptian fugitives. In early 2001, IG leader Rifa'i Ahmad Taha Musa
published a book in which he attempted to justify terrorist attacks that
result in mass civilian casualties. He disappeared several months there-
after, and his whereabouts at the time of this report's publication remained
unknown.