Arab diplomatic sources say that Egypt has launched another drive against Islamic fundamentalists.
The sources were quoted by the Middle East Newsline (MENL) as saying that the current effort marked a departure from previous crackdowns.
They said this is the first Egyptian effort launched against "suspected supporters of Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden."
So far, nearly 120 people are being prosecuted on a range of charges that relate to bin Laden's Al Qaeda group. They include belonging to an illegal organization as well as planning suicide attacks and bombings.
Thousands of Taliban fighters, who are under siege in Kunduz, are members of the banned Egyptian movement Al Gamaa Al Islamiyya (the Islamic Group), which dropped its guns in 1999 after a bitter war with authorities, according to a report by the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday.
Estimates of the number of Taliban troops defending Kunduz run as high as 30,000, including a hardcore element of Arab, Chechen and Pakistani fighters belonging the Al Qaeda network - Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
