Former police brigadier arrested after Egypt security criticism

The Egyptian authorities have arrested a former police brigadier for reasons believed to be linked to his criticism of the security forces in the wake of the deadly attack on a mosque in North Sinai last Friday. Brigadier Mahmoud Qutri is now a political and security analyst. No formal charges have been made against him.

Qutri’s wife, Afaf Hegazi, told Erem News that security forces arrived in a fleet of nine cars at their apartment in Damanhur, a city in the northern province of Beheira, to arrest him. His personal weapon, computer and cell phones were confiscated, she said, adding that she has not been able to find her husband at the prosecutors’ premises in Damanhur. This suggests that he was possibly questioned by the National Security Agency, which is the domestic security body in Egypt.

“My husband appeared on the satellite TV channels of Al-Sharq, Mekameleen and Hiwar,” explained Hegazi, “as well as Turkey’s Channel 9, Aljazeera Mubasher and Aljazeera on the day of the [Rawda] incident.” She can only think that this has something to do with his arrest.

No group has claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack, in which 305 people were killed. It is regarded as the most severe in Egypt’s modern history. Local prosecutors, however, say that the attackers carried a Daesh flag.

Read: Death toll in Egypt mosque attack rises to 309