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| Egyptian Officials Say American Killed Himself in Prison | Egyptian Officials Say American Killed Himself in Prison |
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| CAIRO — An American citizen who had been detained by Egyptian authorities for more than six weeks was found dead in a prison cell on Sunday in what some American officials said appeared to be a suicide. | CAIRO — An American citizen who had been detained by Egyptian authorities for more than six weeks was found dead in a prison cell on Sunday in what some American officials said appeared to be a suicide. |
| Egyptian officials gave more detail, saying that the American, James Lunn, had hanged himself from the bathroom door in his cell in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia after being detained during a security sweep in the northern Sinai Peninsula in late August. | Egyptian officials gave more detail, saying that the American, James Lunn, had hanged himself from the bathroom door in his cell in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia after being detained during a security sweep in the northern Sinai Peninsula in late August. |
| The death of Mr. Lunn is sure to raise further concern about the safety of foreign citizens held in Egypt’s jails, where right groups and former inmates say beatings, crowding and unsanitary conditions are common. | The death of Mr. Lunn is sure to raise further concern about the safety of foreign citizens held in Egypt’s jails, where right groups and former inmates say beatings, crowding and unsanitary conditions are common. |
| Last month, a French citizen arrested for violating an army curfew died while in custody; Egyptian officials said he was beaten to death by his fellow inmates. | Last month, a French citizen arrested for violating an army curfew died while in custody; Egyptian officials said he was beaten to death by his fellow inmates. |
| And last week, Egypt released a doctor and a filmmaker from Canada, Tarek Loubani and John Greyson, who had been held without charge for nearly two months after being detained at an antigovernment protest. | And last week, Egypt released a doctor and a filmmaker from Canada, Tarek Loubani and John Greyson, who had been held without charge for nearly two months after being detained at an antigovernment protest. |
| It was unclear what Mr. Lunn was doing in the northern Sinai Peninsula at the time of his arrest. The area, long resistant to the central government in Cairo, has become a hotbed of armed militancy in recent years, with deadly attacks on police stations and other security infrastructure increasingly common since the military ousted the Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, on July 3. | It was unclear what Mr. Lunn was doing in the northern Sinai Peninsula at the time of his arrest. The area, long resistant to the central government in Cairo, has become a hotbed of armed militancy in recent years, with deadly attacks on police stations and other security infrastructure increasingly common since the military ousted the Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, on July 3. |
| A statement from Egypt’s Interior Ministry said that Mr. Lunn had been arrested on Aug. 27 during a security sweep of the northern Sinai following a car bomb attack on a police station. | A statement from Egypt’s Interior Ministry said that Mr. Lunn had been arrested on Aug. 27 during a security sweep of the northern Sinai following a car bomb attack on a police station. |
| The statement said that Mr. Lunn had been in the area of the attack and was found with “a computer and maps of important facilities.” He was detained for investigation and transferred to Ismailia. | The statement said that Mr. Lunn had been in the area of the attack and was found with “a computer and maps of important facilities.” He was detained for investigation and transferred to Ismailia. |
| An American consular official visited him there last week, the statement said, and on Saturday Mr. Lunn’s detention was renewed for another 30 days. | An American consular official visited him there last week, the statement said, and on Saturday Mr. Lunn’s detention was renewed for another 30 days. |
| A spokesman for the ministry, Gen. Hany Abdel Lateef, said in a phone call on Sunday that Mr. Lunn had admitted during questioning that he had been on his way to the Gaza Strip, where he planned to meet with members of Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that rules the territory. | A spokesman for the ministry, Gen. Hany Abdel Lateef, said in a phone call on Sunday that Mr. Lunn had admitted during questioning that he had been on his way to the Gaza Strip, where he planned to meet with members of Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that rules the territory. |
| “He confessed that he was on his way to Gaza to stay with Hamas and discuss certain things with them,” General Abdel Lateef said. | |
| A State Department official said that consular officials had been in touch with Egyptian officials and with Mr. Lunn during his detention, and that he had not complained at any time of mistreatment. | A State Department official said that consular officials had been in touch with Egyptian officials and with Mr. Lunn during his detention, and that he had not complained at any time of mistreatment. |
| The State Department did not comment on the cause of death, but earlier a United States Embassy official described it as an “apparent suicide.” |