Three on trial in Egypt for spying

Egypt's top prosecutor has referred three suspects, including two Israelis, to the criminal court on charges of spying for Israel, media reported.

The Egyptian, currently in custody, will be tried before a criminal court in the Suez city of Ismailia, while the other two fugitive Israeli military intelligence officers will be tried in absentia, Xinhua quoted the official MENA news agency as saying.

The date of the trial was yet to be fixed.

The Egyptian suspect confessed during investigations that he received money in return for giving information to the Israeli intelligence.

Egypt has also been trying five Egyptians, a Jordanian, and seven fugitive Israelis over charges of espionage for Israel.

In April last year, Egypt foiled an Israeli spy network in the North Sinai city of Rafah.

In October 2011, Israel freed 25 Egyptians in exchange for the release of a US-Israeli, Ilan Grapel, who had been detained in Cairo for four months on spying charges.