U.S. embassy worker held 3 weeks without charges in Egypt

A worker with the U.S. Embassy in Cairo has been detained by local Egyptian authorities and held for the last three weeks, apparently without charges.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Moufid Deak said Ahmed Aleiba is an Egyptian employed by the embassy, but was taken into custody by Egypt’s police on Jan. 25, The Associated Press reported. Another security official at the embassy who requested anonymity confirmed Mr. Aleiba’s arrest.

But the charges are unknown, AP said.

Another news outlet, the military-tied Al-Watan, said in a July article that Mr. Aleiba served as a conduit at the embassy, arranging meetings between U.S. government officials and Muslim Brotherhood’s deputy, Khairat el-Shater.

Egypt’s government has cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood in recent months, in the wake of Brotherhood-backed Mohammed Morsi’s ouster from the presidency.