Egyptian police have arrested an American, 11 Europeans, and several others from Arab countries for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks in Middle Eastern countries including Iraq. According to the Interior Ministry, the group was part of an Islamic terrorist cell that had adopted extremist ideas and was living in Egypt under the guise of pursuing Arabic and Islamic studies.
"Investigations have confirmed that those elements are related to some terrorist organizations abroad," the ministry said. "They were seeking to recruit others, teach them destructive beliefs, urging them for jihad, traveling to Iraq to carry out operations via other countries in the region."
In Washington, the State Department confirmed that an American had been arrested in Egypt about a week ago but could not provide any details. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said U.S. officials were "seeking consular access to this individual" but declined to give more information, citing U.S. privacy laws.
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