Egypt says it is not prepared to hand over a biochemist detained in connection with the London bombings, Egyptian security officials said on Saturday, as British investigators attended sessions questioning him.
Magdy Mahmoud Mustafa el-Nashar (33) was arrested on Thursday in Cairo after British officials supplied his name to Egyptian authorities over the weekend.
British investigators in the northern town of Leeds reportedly found traces of explosives in a bathtub in his apartment. Security officials initially said he’d been arrested four or five days ago and gave no reason for the discrepancy.
An Egyptian security official, speaking on condition ofanonymity because a final decision has not yet been made, said interrogating el-Nashar was a matter of ”sovereignty” and would be carried out on Egyptian soil.
The investigation was ongoing, the official said, adding as yet there wasn’t enough evidence to prove if el-Nashar was involved in the attacks or not.
Egypt and Britain do not have an extradition treaty, but Egyptian officials have said they are cooperating closely with British and American authorities on terrorism issues, and in el-Nashar’s case in particular.
Later Saturday, Egypt’s Prosecutor General said Egypt’s constitution bans the extradition of Egyptian citizens in connection to crimes committed abroad.
In the absence of an extradition treaty with Britain, Maher Abdel Wahed said the rule would be ”quid pro quo”– reciprocal treatment — or diplomatic courtesy.
His remarks were carried by Egypt’s Middle East News Agency.
Abdel Wahed didn’t elaborate, however since the 1990s Egypt has repeatedly appealed to Britain to hand over wanted Egyptians living in Britain on asylum status or having British citizenship.
London has rejected the calls on the grounds that Egypt applies capital punishment, and in view of its human rights record, which rights groups say includes the systematic use of torture.
El-Nashar had been teaching at Leeds University and returned to Egypt a week before the bombings shook London’s transport system on July 7.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said on Friday that he wanted el-Nashar brought to Britain.
El-Nashar has denied involvement in the attacks and said he planned to return to Leeds after a vacation in Egypt, the Interior Ministry said in a statement Friday.
In remarks published on Saturday, Egypt’s Interior Minister Habib el-Adly said el-Nashar had no connection with al-Qaida, which British authorities believe is behind the attacks. Making such an association, el-Adly said, was a ”hasty conclusion”.
Another security official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that British investigators had arrived in Cairo to question el-Nashar. It was not clear if they have already started interrogating him.
A spokesperson for London’s Metropolitan Police refused to confirm the reports, saying the force never commented on officers’ travel plans for security reasons.
”We’re monitoring developments. If officers needed to be involved in extradition or other processes, then they would be involved.” He wouldn’t elaborate.
The bombings of three subway trains and a bus killed at least 55 people, including the bombers. Police increased the death toll from 54 after another victim died in the hospital overnight.
Three of the bombers — Shahzad Tanweer, Mohammed Sidique Khan and Hasid Hussain — were Britons of Pakistani origin. At least two had traveled to Pakistan. – Sapa-AP