A case of ruffled feathers: Egypt authorities examine ‘spy’ swan found with suspicious device

CAIRO – In a case that’s ruffling feathers in Egypt, authorities have detained a swan that a citizen suspected of being a spy.

Officials say a man brought the suspected winged infiltrator to a police station Friday in the Qena governorate, some 450 kilometres (280 miles) southeast of Cairo. Officials say the man suspected the bird was an undercover agent because it carried an electronic device.

The head of security in Qena said Saturday that officials examined the bird and the device. Mohammed Kamal said the device was neither an explosive nor a spying device. It likely could be a wildlife tracker.

With turmoil gripping Egypt, authorities and citizens remain suspicious of anything foreign. Earlier this year, a security guard filed a police report after capturing a pigeon he said carried microfilm.