Free Syrian army fighters hold their weapons as they stand on a military tank in Idlib province, Syria. ( photo:AP)
An alleged member of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) was arrested on Sunday by security forces in Imbaba, northern Giza, Al-Ahram daily newspaper reported.
The forces uncovered a number of explosives and US $30,000, which he allegedly planned to use in terror attacks in Cairo and Giza before the presidential elections scheduled to take place on 26-27 May, the same source said.
According to Al-Ahram daily newspaper, investigations conducted by the General Intelligence and National Security apparatuses revealed that the suspect -- who arrived in Egypt 45 days ago -- has been monitoring all prominent government facilities in order to target one of them.
Major General Sayed Shafiq, assistant to the interior minister, had received primary information on the presence of an FSA member who planned to carry out a number of terror attacks in Egypt, Al-Ahram daily newspaper wrote.
The rebel FSA was created soon after the Syrian uprising in March 2011 to oppose President Bashar Al-Assad's regime.
Considered the "moderate" rebel group, the Western-backed FSA was once the country's strongest armed opposition force but is now increasingly marginalised by Islamists.
Egypt has suffered a string of terror attacks that erupted following the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in June 2013.
Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, a Sinai-based militant group, has claimed responsibly for the major attacks in Sinai and around Egypt since Morsi's ouster. However, a number of other Islamist insurgent groups are also active in Egypt.
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