Detained U.S. citizen found dead in Egyptian prison

English>>World

Editor's Pick

Detained U.S. citizen found dead in Egyptian prison

(Xinhua) 13:16, October 14, 2013

Email|Print|Comments

twitter

facebook

Sina Microblog

CAIRO, Oct. 13 -- A U.S. citizen detained in Egyptian prison was found dead Sunday after he was arrested more than a month for breaking curfew, official news agency MENA reported.

James Henry, 55, a retired U.S. army officer, was found dead at noon at Ismailia Awal police station after he used his belt and shoe laces to hang himself, the reported said. The U.S. embassy in Cairo confirmed that the U.S. citizen died from "an apparent suicide" and it was in contact with the Egyptian authorities.

Henry was arrested by the Egyptian army on Aug. 28 in Sheikh Zuwaid city bordering Israel due to sneaking into North Sinai governorate, local security source told Xinhua.

The official sources announced later that the U.S. citizen, carrying some documents, data and maps about Sinai, was detained for violating the curfew hours.

An official from the U.S. embassy has visited the prisoner on Oct. 8, and asserted that Henry was in good conditions, MENA added.

Henry's death came a day after he was told that authorities extended his preventative detention by another 30 days.

The prosecutor general, Hesham Barakat, ordered to open an immediate investigation, to accurately determine the reasons behind the death.

In an official statement, the Egyptian Interior Ministry announced that the prisoner committed suicide by hanging himself on the bath's door of his cell.

（Editor：YaoChun、Zhang Qian）