ISF arrests three Egyptians linked to gang rape case

 Internal Security Forces announced Saturday evening the arrest of three Egyptian nationals in relation to an infamous gang rape case in a luxury Cairo hotel back in 2014.

While the incident took place six years ago, the allegations linked to it were only made public in July this year, prompting outrage online and compelling the Egyptian government to launch an investigation.

Since then, it has sought the arrest of nine individuals, believed to be from wealthy families and who have been placed on an airport watch list. It is believed that all nine were involved in the rape of a young woman at the Fairmont Nile City Hotel.

The identity of those implicated have been widely shared by online activists determined to seek justice in a case echoing the global #MeToo movement.

According to the statement released by the ISF, Lebanese authorities had received a letter from Interpol’s Egypt office a few days previously, providing the identities of seven of the individuals wanted in connection with the case. After conducting their own investigation, the ISF found that five of the seven suspects had indeed entered Lebanon.

However since then, two of those suspects have left the country once more, leaving three suspects remaining in Lebanon, according to the ISF. Those three were arrested Friday night in the town of Fatqa, north of Beirut.

Referring back to the 2014 rape incident, the statement adds that the three individuals had left their hotel in Cairo under suspicious circumstances and without taking their bags with them.