The leader of a Hezbollah cell who escaped from an Egyptian prison during the country's uprising has appeared at a Beirut rally.

Mohammed Youssef Mansour, better known as Sami Chehab, held up a Hezbollah flag and raised his hands in a V-for-victory sign Wednesday during a Hezbollah rally in Beirut.

The Shiite militant group says that Mansour was among the thousands of prisoners across Egypt who are believed to have escaped or been set free shortly after the revolt against longtime President Hosni Mubarak erupted Jan. 25.

But this was his first public appearance.

Mansour was convicted in 2010 along with 25 others of spying for Hezbollah and plotting attacks in Egypt.