Egypt: Spies Used Ink-Soaked Panties

Egypt accused two men of spying for Israel on Monday, saying one had given women’s underwear soaked in invisible ink to the other as a way to send secret messages to Israel.

Azam Azam, an Israeli engineer, and Emad Abdel-Hamid Ismail, an Egyptian, formally were charged with espionage.

General Prosecutor Ragaa el-Araby said two female Israeli agents also will be tried in absentia for recruiting the Egyptian.

Ismail reportedly told police that between March and October, the two women gave him $650 for information on Egypt and promised him $1,000 a month for more information.

The indictment said Azam confessed taking underwear soaked in invisible ink from the Israeli women and giving it to Ismail, who in turn was instructed to use the ink to write invisible messages about Egypt. It was not clear how this was to be accomplished.

The indictment also said the women had slept with Ismail, who at one point worked at a factory in Israel, after meeting him at an Israeli nightclub.