Suspects' operations began in 2003: report

Cairo: A group with alleged links to Iranian-backed Hezbollah started operating in Egypt in 2003, according to an Egyptian semi-official magazine, Al Musawwar.

The group, led by Lebanese national Mohammad Yousuf Mansour, also known as Sami Shehab, received huge amounts of money from Hezbollah to prepare for terror attacks against tourists in Egypt's Sinai region and ships sailing across the Suez Canal, Al Musawwar quoted investigators as saying.

Last month, Egyptian authorities announced the arrest of scores of Egyptian, Palestinian, Lebanese and Sudanese nationals allegedly on a mission to destabilise the country.

Around 25 suspects are still at large, according to the police. The defendants also face espionage charges and face trial for planning to topple the government.

Al Musawwar's report stated Shehab, who is the prime defendant in the case, was instructed by Hezbollah to form the group in Egypt as part of alleged operations pursued by Hezbollah in countries bordering Israel.

Shehab, 39, joined Hezbollah in 1986 and was trained in combat skills as well as intelligence gathering, said the magazine.

Tensions between Egypt and Hezbollah have been rising since last January when the latter accused Egypt of complicity in Israel's onslaught on Gaza.

Disclosures about the alleged Hezbollah operatives have triggered scathing attacks by Egypt's official media against Hezbollah and its chief, Hassan Nasrallah.

Egypt's chief prosecutor Abdul Majid Mahmoud is expected to refer to the Higher State Security Court.