Ilan Grapel Detained: Egypt Will Hold Alleged Israeli Spy For 15 More Days

CAIRO -- An Egyptian security official says authorities have renewed the detention of a U.S.-born Israeli who is being held in Egypt on espionage allegations.

The official says 27-year-old Ilan Grapel will spend 15 more days in detention pending further investigation. The official spoke Saturday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Grapel was arrested in Cairo two weeks ago.

Egypt says he is a Mossad agent, and pictures of him in Israeli military uniform have been widely published in Egyptian papers. Israel says Grapel was in Cairo working for a legal aid project when he was arrested.

Grapel has been accused of sedition and inciting Egyptians to clash with the country's interim military leadership.

Comments

[Json]

01:46 PM on 06/27/2011

"Egyptians wave Palestinian flags during a demonstration in front of the Israeli embassy on April 29, 2011. "

Interesting photo selection for this article.

[nk5otr]

09:35 AM on 06/27/2011

There has been no proof offered that he is a spy. Additionally, in general, spies act in the interest of their country. Spies for the U.S. have undoubtedly saved U.S. lives.

If spies learn information that can stop a war or terrorist attack or loss of innocent life, then they have done good.

[BestGuest]

08:43 AM on 06/27/2011

No reaction from the U$ on this...:

"About 5,400 Palestinian prisoners are now in Israeli prison, of which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have had a bitter taste over the years. It's not a matter of "thousands of murderers," as people like to portray it. Only some have been convicted of murder; some of their acts were particularly horrific. Two hundred and twenty have been imprisoned without trial, and there are also 180 incarcerated minors, among whom are a few dozen children UNDER 16."

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/a-society-is-judged-by-the-way-it-treats-its-prisoners-1.369635

[TheLonelyGod]

09:12 AM on 06/27/2011

Hey look over there!

[BestGuest]

05:09 AM on 06/28/2011

Hardly...My post pertains to the topic at hand.

While |$rae|i spies getting caught is followed by cries from W@$h|ngton, the 5400 people, many wrongly punished, many held without trial, many MINORS, SOME UNDER THE AGE OF 16 gets not even a peep from the clerk sitting outside the supplies room at the company that supplies stationery to Congress....

I thought you out of all people would know the correct use of the term "Deflecting"...... actually scratch that.

[Euges]

11:54 PM on 06/26/2011

At least it wasn't a bird this time, lol

[Santana Noriega Taco III]

05:46 PM on 06/26/2011

i hope it doesn't end as bad as this lybian jet fighter http://unitwan.co.nr/lybian_jet.htm

[ImpeachBushCheney]

05:04 PM on 06/26/2011

Israel's goal is to create chaos in the Middle East. Another reason the US needs to stop funding and supporting Israel and instead support what's best for America.

[nk5otr]

09:26 AM on 06/27/2011

Actually, I know Israel's goal, the one that you don't know about. It is to exist in peace. But as long as it is attacked, it will fight back. And that angers a lot of people on these boards and around the world.

[rudiy]

10:49 AM on 06/27/2011

Israel does not have to create chaos in the ME, the Arabs and other Muslims do it by themselves. Sunni and Shia killing each other, Sunni ruling Shia, Shia ruling Sunni, both against "non believers.

It always amazes me the Muslims themselves think their own are not independant or smart enough to act on ther own.

[foodoo]

06:29 AM on 06/26/2011

Most likely setting up another Lavon affair.
The fact that he can serve in the IDF and maintain his US
citizenship is a sign of how pathological the US-Israeli
relationship is

[who38]

07:20 PM on 06/26/2011

Exactly.

[YafoDalet]

11:19 PM on 06/27/2011

What's so pathological about it? Dual citizenship is rather common and serving in the military of one of the states is not that rare. Welcome to the world!

[foodoo]

03:14 PM on 06/28/2011

Nope it is not that common. Israel is the only country in which
one can serve in arm forces and maintain US citizenship.
No other country in the world.

Dual citizenship I have nothing against, but not if the person
serves in the army or in a high level in the US govt

[fairwayhill]

06:23 AM on 06/26/2011

It is puzzling that the US government does not complain about an American citizen spying for another foreign entity.

[courtb]

11:35 AM on 06/26/2011

It's super amazing, especially as the US government (at least those who have spoken publicly) do not believe he's a spy at all...

[Json]

10:00 AM on 06/27/2011

I'm sure that the list of things that fairway considers 'puzzling' is quite impressive.

[who38]

07:22 PM on 06/26/2011

Check to see if your Senators signed the Boxer-Isakson Leter Reaffirming the US-Israel Alliance; 76 Senators signed. Then check to see if your Congressperson signed the Hoeyer-Cantor Letter Reaffirming the US-Israel Alliance; 333 Congresspeople signed.

[noiz001]

09:42 PM on 06/26/2011

Thank for the info. I checked the list for the Senators and Congresspeople from my state to see if they signed. I then sent an email to theirs offices and thanked them for signing.

[Staxx]

03:46 AM on 06/26/2011

Israel will even spy on God. When you have bad thoughts about everybody, you'll wanna spy on them - even your friends.

[who38]

07:23 PM on 06/26/2011

They are still trying to get Jonathan Pollard released.

[nk5otr]

09:30 AM on 06/27/2011

All countries spy on their allies and enemies. This is true even for whatever country you live in. It's called the real world.

[RubalKhali]

12:27 AM on 06/26/2011

He was turned in by Egyptian young people who he allegedly attempted to recruit in return for financial payments. He was arrested in one of Cairo’s most elegant hotels allegedly while equipped with multiple cellular phones, laptops, various documents, photographs he’d taken of Egyptian sites, and a large amount of money. The Israeli prime minister’s office immediately released a statement saying that he was not a Mossad agent.I've heard him discribed as a well meaning college kid, which he most certainly is not.He is a battle hardened paratrooper who was wounded in an invasion of Lebanon.

[who38]

07:24 PM on 06/26/2011

Hope his US citizenship is nullfied.

[noiz001]

09:44 PM on 06/26/2011

You and wherever you got his information from have a wild imagination.

[Fein]

08:03 PM on 06/25/2011

Good work Egypt.

When you're waterboarding him, get him to reveal some of Israel's spies in the USA.

[austinreid]

08:22 PM on 06/25/2011

If he is a spy Egypt has lied before. So now you support torture wonderful.

[Klaus55]

12:11 AM on 06/26/2011

So now you think waterboarding is torture.

[cliffeed]

07:37 PM on 06/25/2011

Lots of Israeli spies popping around the world, wonder what Israel wants?

[austinreid]

08:22 PM on 06/25/2011

If he is a spy Egypt has lied before.

[who38]

07:28 PM on 06/26/2011

....and so has Israel.

[noiz001]

09:48 PM on 06/26/2011

Lots of Israeli spies popping up? Got any names? Got any proof? That is what I thought, you got nothing.

[cliffeed]

10:32 PM on 06/26/2011

Uriel Zosha Kelman, Eli Cara, Eli Cohen, Yolande Harmer, Ben-ami Kadish, Ali al-Jarrah, Fritz Katz, etc. Plenty more here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Israeli_spies

And these are only that ones that got exposed. Educate yourself next time before trying to make a half assed argument.

[iheartime]

05:43 PM on 06/25/2011

OOOOPS
.
He's singing and the Egyptians are enjoying the show ....
looks like his show is booked ti'll fall

[Monsuru Gaji]

05:16 PM on 06/25/2011

"Israel says Grapel was in Cairo working for a legal aid project when he was arrested."
Seems to have slipped the minds of the leader in Israel to inform the Egyptian government of what he was doing..To get into Egypt you have to cross through what is left of Palestine, from Israel yet he never came in to contact with a border guard?? And just show up in a country..How strange

[Bar Kokhba]

05:45 PM on 06/25/2011

"cross through what is left of Palestine"...When was there as "Palestine"?

[SpoonieLuv]

07:44 PM on 06/25/2011

Throughout history, the region was known as Syria Palaestina and Mandate of Palestine long before Israel was created in 1948.

[Monsuru Gaji]

07:54 PM on 06/25/2011

Ok then what do you call the area that is bordering between Egypt and Israel cause the govt. doesn't call that land Israel

[austinreid]

08:24 PM on 06/25/2011

Egypt knew they are just making this up to distract people from them delaying elections and the burning churches a traditional Egyptian practice.

[Monsuru Gaji]

12:32 PM on 06/26/2011

True, but even if this was a distraction he is not helping his case..I mean why hasn't the legal aid org. come out and be like "yea he works for us and this is all one big mistake"

[FACTISFACT]

04:15 PM on 06/25/2011

To be safe this Israeli agent if confirmed to be Israeli Spy then he should not be released before election.

There after he must divulge the total spies inhabits in Egypt and their location. His detention period should be kept on extended for life time. As it would be very fruitful for Egypt in the long run to settle scores with Israel.

So catch more spies and keep Israel away from Egypt. As the saying goes "Have an apple a day to keep disease away" So catch one Israeli spy a day to keep the most venomous enemy away.

[Bar Kokhba]

05:09 PM on 06/25/2011

"A war veteran. Finally retired" Or was it AR 635-200 that actually removed you from active duty status?

[CigarGod]

08:48 AM on 06/26/2011

Children try to delegitimize the messenger....but I notice you also try to do the same to Palestine.

[who38]

07:31 PM on 06/26/2011

See you are one of those posters who prefer to attack rather than reason. Pity.

[SpoonieLuv]

07:49 PM on 06/25/2011

He doesn't appear to be bright enough to be a spy, but if they can prove his involvement in any nefarious activity, then he would certainly be a useful asset.

[RubalKhali]

12:19 AM on 06/26/2011

Not all spys are bright. See Jonathan Pollard for an example.