CAIRO: Egyptian security officials said the man they arrested at Cairo airport on Tuesday believing him to be a senior Al Qaeda leader is an Egyptian Islamist wanted in his homeland not an Al Qaeda operative.

“He is wanted for involvement with the Al-Jihad (group). He is not Seif al-Adel,” said a source at the National Security apparatus.

Officials and state media earlier said the man was the senior Qaeda militant Seif al-Adel.