Egypt Foils Extremist Bomb Plot

Police have arrested five Muslim extremists accused of planning to bomb the American and Israeli embassies in Cairo, a leading Arabic newspaper reported Tuesday.

The five men were part of a new militant alliance that planned a series of terrorist attacks in Cairo, including bombing the two missions, the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper said. Its report quoted unidentified Egyptian security officials.

The newspaper has previously carried reliable reports about Muslim extremists in Egypt. An Interior Ministry spokesman refused to confirm or deny the latest report.

An Israeli Embassy spokesman said he had no information about a bomb threat. The U.S. Embassy spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Al-Hayat said the five were members of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya and Al-Jihad, outlawed groups that have been waging a bloody campaign since 1992 to topple President Hosni Mubarak's government and install strict Islamic rule.

©1998 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed