The Egyptian navy demanded a $ 197m sale of a Rolling Airframe Missiles made by Raytheon to improve coastal defense.
The United States agreed to sell arms worth nearly $ 200m to Egypt but vowed to press for human rights issues after an American activist reported harassment of his family.
The Biden administration – which has pledged to support Saudi Arabia’s offensive work in Yemen’s devastating war and which is reviewing major jet sales to the United Arab Emirates – said it had approved the sale of 168 pre-made missiles. tactical to Egypt.
The Egyptian navy demanded a $ 197m sale of the Rolling Airframe Missiles manufactured by Raytheon to improve defense in coastal areas and around the Red Sea, the U.S. State Department said.
The department said in a statement that it had approved the sale, subject to a conference review, as Egypt “remains a key strategic partner in the Middle East”.
Biden has vowed a tougher stance on human rights after his governor Donald Trump courted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whom he called “my favorite dictator” , in part for his cooperation with Israel.
‘Allegations of irregular arrest’
A lawyer for Mohamed Soltan, a U.S. citizen who has filed a lawsuit alleging torture in Egyptian arrest, said plainclothes officers raided the homes of six members of his family Sunday, holding two cousins.
State Department citing Ned Price said the U.S. was aware and “looking into” the bill. “We take seriously all allegations of arrest or irregular arrest,” he told reporters.
“We will embed our values into all our relationships around the world. That includes with our close security partners. That includes Egypt. “
In Egypt, pro-el-Sisi television hosts welcomed the statement of those arrested with contempt – without confirming or denying the truth – by some like Nashaat al-Deehy Soltan called “rebellious”.
Soltan, the son of a key member of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood, was arrested in August 2013 after el-Sisi led the ouster of President-elect Mohamed Morsi.
In 2015, Soltan was released and deported to the U.S. after relinquishing his Egyptian citizenship.
He filed his lawsuit in a U.S. court in June and last month worked with members of Congress to create a caucus dedicated to promoting human rights in Egypt.
Now the Egyptian regime is arresting his allies to try to intimidate him in silence. Such innovations have no place in the international community, ”said Eric Lewis, Soltan’s lawyer.