Egypt army prepares for Sinai assault
Published today (updated) 20/05/2013 10:24
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=597248

EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma’an) -- Egyptian security forces were preparing Monday to
launch a rescue operation to free seven kidnapped soldiers and police
officers in the Sinai peninsula, security sources said.

A large plane carrying soldiers and heavy military equipment landed at
el-Arish airport Sunday night in preparation for the attack on "terrorist
groups," the sources said on the condition of anonymity.

Egypt's military has also called in a special forces unit as Cairo refuses
to negotiate with the kidnappers.

A video posted on YouTube on Sunday appeared to show the seven hostages,
blindfolded and with their hands on their heads, identifying themselves.

One of them is prodded by what appears to be a rifle held by an abductor off
screen before another hostage says the kidnappers want the release of
detained Bedouin "political activists".

He mentioned by name a Bedouin militant sentenced to death after a 2011
attack on a police station in the north Sinai town of El-Arish.

"We hope that you, president, quickly release the political activists from
Sinai as soon as possible because we can no longer stand the torture," said
one hostage.

The video, posted online by an anonymous account, was later removed from
YouTube, which posted a message saying it violated its "policy on violence".

Neither the presidency nor the military responded to requests for comment.

One of the hostages in the footage bears a strong resemblance to a hostage
in a picture held by relatives who joined the police protest at the Rafah
border crossing.

The policemen, who worked at border crossings, and soldiers were kidnapped
at gunpoint while travelling to their homes on leave.

Attacks on police and soldiers in the sparsely populated peninsula have
surged since an uprising that overthrow president Hosni Mubarak in 2011, as
have cross-border attacks on Israel.

The north of the peninsula is underdeveloped and has become a haven for
Islamist militants, unlike the south which is dotted with beach resorts.