Ex-army official: Egypt to receive jets in swap

A former Egyptian major general and military expert says the deal to release suspected Israeli spy Ilan Grapel was less about prisoners and more about agreements between America and Cairo. Sameh el-Yazal said Egypt asked the Americans to include Israel in the deal "as a third party" in order to increase the weight of the agreement and bring citizens home. Egypt has failed to conclude recent agreements with the US that would allow it to purchase F16 fighter jets, as Israel pressured the Americans to prevent the sale of some weaponry to Cairo, he says. This time, however, Egypt reached an agreement to receive F16s from the US while the Americans mediated with Israel to release over 20 detainees in exchange for an American-Israeli national, el-Yazal says. A US State Department spokeswoman did not immediately return a call Thursday. In 2009, the US and Egypt reached an agreement over a contract for 24 F16s to Egypt, officials said at the time. It was to be implemented sometime in 2010, officials said. Egypt's Air Force is estimated to be the fourth largest F16 operator in the world. An Egyptian military official told Ma'an that Egypt refused to free suspected spy Odeh Tarabin, another Israeli national who was detained in 2000, along with Grapel in exchange for 81 Egyptian prisoners. Tarabin has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for spying for Israel.