Career
He maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal, and since, no credible evidence was presented at his trial, and no additional evidence was ever released. Azzam is a textile worker from the town of Maghar in Israel. He had been sent to Egypt as an employee of an Israeli textile company, to work at a textile plant which was a joint business venture of Israeli management and Egyptian labor, when he was arrested in Cairo in November 1996.
Originally accused of industrial espionage, he was later accused of using women"s underwear soaked in invisible ink to pass information to Israel"s intelligence agency Mossad.
The trial opened on April 24, 1997, but was postponed until May 18, when it was discovered that the lawyer for his Egyptian co-defendant, Emad Abdel-Hamid Ismail, was not present. The letter demanded that disciplinary action be carried out against Deeb for "undertaking the defense of the Israeli spy".
In response the Syndicate decided to bring Deeb before its disciplinary committee on June 11. (First Rate (at Lloyd's)-Wafd, May 14). The court summarily denied the request, insisting that every individual had a right to legal representation.
As well, the prosecution added the indictment that Azzam was a Mossad agent intending to harm the interests of Egypt, which allowed the prosecution to request the death penalty.
In August 1997 Azzam was convicted of helping to send news about Egyptian industrial cities to Mossad, and sentenced to fifteen years jail at hard labor. His co-defendant Ismail was sentenced to twenty-five years. Both Azzam and the Israeli government denied the charges.
After Shabak (Israel"s internal security agency) head Avi Dichter had negotiated with his Egyptian counterparts, Azzam was released on December 5, 2004.
In return, Israel freed six jailed Egyptian students who were accused of planning terrorist attacks. Azzam expressed gratitude to the government of Israel, and to Ariel Sharon in particular, telling him "I love you very much," Azzam said.
I am lucky to have been born in Israel and I"m proud of lieutenant"
An official Israeli government press release stated,
Prime Minister Sharon reiterated his deep gratitude to Egyptian President Mubarak and to General Soliman and emphasized that this humanitarian gesture would make an additional contribution towards the deepening of bilateral relations.
