US-born Israeli held in Egypt 'not Mossad spy'

Israel's Foreign Minister insisted yesterday that a US-born Israeli arrested in Egypt on espionage charges is not a spy.

Ilan Grapel, who served in the Israeli army as a paratrooper, "has no connection to any intelligence agency, not in Israel, not in the US and not on Mars," Avigdor Lieberman said.

He said Mr Grapel's arrest was a "mistake or bizarre behaviour" by the Egyptians.

Mr Grapel's family say he is a law student in Atlanta and not a Mossad agent out to sabotage Egypt's revolution, as Egyptian authorities claim.