An Egyptian named by the United States Al Qaeda commander Saif al-Adel has been arrested in Cairo, but he has denied the link and says it was a case of mistaken identity.
Security and airport officials say Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi was arrested on his arrival Wednesday from Pakistan and was taken for questioning.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, Makkawi said he was not the senior al Qaeda leader known as Saif al-Adel and that he had nothing to do with the terror group since 1989.
The US has listed the name Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi as the real name of Saif al-Adel, a pseudonym that means “sword of justice.” He is wanted by the US for the1998 embassy bombings in East Africa.
With a $5m bounty on his head, Saif al-Adel figures on the FBI’s most-wanted list /
Besides being an ex-Egyptian Army colonel, Saif al-Adel has also been Osama bin Laden’s security chief.