A stork has been detained by police in Egypt on suspicion of spying. The
bird was put behind bars after a man fishing in the Nile in Qena, some
280 miles south-east of Cairo, spotted an electronic device attached to
its feathers.
Thinking it was an undercover agent, he captured the stork and took it
to a police station near his home, said Mohammed Kamal, head of security
in the Qena region. Puzzled officers examined the bird, fearing the
gadget was a bomb or spying equipment, and then called in veterinary
experts.
Eventually, they discovered it was a wildlife tracker used by French
scientists to follow the movement of migratory birds, said Ayman
Abdallah, head of veterinary services in Qena. He said the device
stopped working when the bird crossed the French border,
absolving it of being a spy.
But he said it would have to remain in police custody for the time
being because officials need permission from state prosecutors to
release the bird. Commentators said that with turmoil gripping Egypt
following the military coup that overthrew President Mohammad Morsi,
authorities and citizens remain on high alert.
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