Man held in Cairo denies being wanted al-Qaida chief

An Egyptian named by the United States as one of al-Qaida’s top figures has been arrested in Cairo.

But the man has denied the link and says it was a case of mistaken identity.

Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi was arrested on his arrival today from Pakistan and taken for questioning, officials said.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Makkawi said he was not the senior al-Qaida leader known as Saif al-Adel and that he had nothing to do with the terror group since 1989.

The US has listed the name Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi as the real name of Saif al-Adel, a pseudonym that means “sword of justice”.

But former militants who know both men have previously said they are two different people and the US identification is incorrect.