Egypt accused Iran

(First Edition)

CAIRO (Reuter) - An Egyptian minister has accused Sudan and Iran of smuggling weapons into Egypt to help Muslim militants destabilise the country, Cairo newspapers reported yesterday.

Youssef Wali, the Minister of Agriculture and secretary-general of the ruling National Democratic Party, also told a public rally in the southern Egyptian town of Qena on Thursday that there were camps in Sudan to train Muslim extremists.

Mr Wali, who is also a deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying Egypt would 'stand firm against continued attempts to smuggle weapons to Egypt through Sudan in collaboration with Iran'. He also said that police had detained 17 weapons dealers financed by Sudan and Iran 'to spread chaos in Egypt'.