Tomb-building near Egyptian pyramids sparks looting concerns

Published April 28, 2013

FoxNews.com

The recent push in Egypt to dig new tombs on protected land is worrying archaeologists, who fear historic sites will be desecrated.

The Guardian reported that more than 1,000 new tombs, which are illegal, have appeared in the desert since January.

Now, a fight pits those burying their dead against archaeologists, who say that looting is becoming a problem in the Manshiet Dahshur region, about 25 miles from Cairo.

"What happened was crazy," Mohamed Youssef, Dahshur's chief archaeologist, told The Guardian. "They came and took space for about 20 generations.”

The tombs are being built near some of Egypt’s prominent monuments, including the pyramids of Dahshur.

"Some of them have a real need for the tombs for their families," Youssef said. "But when you have 1,000 people, some of them will want to do illegal excavation."

More than 500 illegal excavations have happened in Dahshur since the 2011 uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak, The Guardian reports.

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Hamas says it's not meddling in Egyptian affairs

Published April 04, 2013

Associated Press

CAIRO –  The leader of the Palestinian group Hamas says there is broad cooperation between his group and Egypt's security government, dismissing reports that Hamas is endangering Egypt's national security.

Khaled Mashaal's comments in a conference Thursday in Cairo follow unconfirmed Egyptian media reports linking Hamas to increased lawlessness in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders the Gaza Strip ruled by Hamas.

The reports accused Hamas of orchestrating one of the bloodiest attacks against Egypt's army in decades. In August 2012, 16 soldiers were killed along the Gaza-Egypt border. Hamas has strongly denied that it was involved.

Mashaal called the accusations "defamations," and said it is Hamas' duty to protect Egypt's security.

Hamas leaders were in Cairo this week to meet with security, intelligence and military officials.

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Egyptian Christian dies in Libyan detention

CAIRO –  An Egyptian Foreign Ministry official says a man suspected of trying to spread Christianity in Libya has died in prison there.

The diplomat says Ezzat Atallah, who suffered from diabetes and heart ailments, likely died of natural causes. He spoke anonymously Sunday in line with regulations.

Atallah was among five Evangelical Christian Egyptians detained in Libya for allegedly proselytizing in the predominantly Muslim nation.

Last week, Egypt's Foreign Ministry intervened to win release from Libya of 55 Egyptians who were also suspected of proselytizing. Thirty-five of them were deported for illegally entering the country, while 20 were cleared to stay in Libya.

Also, four foreigners under investigation for alleged espionage and proselytizing remain in a Libyan prison. They are a Swedish-American, a South Korean, a South African and an Egyptian.

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