US tourists kidnapped in Egypt

Two U.S. tourists were kidnapped at gunpoint Thursday as they were traveling from the Egyptian resort of Dahab near the Israeli border, security officials said. Officials said they were kidnapped by members of a local tribe in response to the arrest of an alleged drug dealer, the BBC reported. Local tribal people were talking to reporters and calling for the release of the alleged drug dealer, among other demands. The U.S. Embassy in Cairo said it knew of the kidnapping, CNN said. "We are working closely with Egyptian authorities to resolve this situation," said embassy spokeswoman Katherine Sweet. Government and intelligence officials were in negotiations with the kidnappers for the tourists' release, said Marwan Mustapha, a spokesman for the Egyptian Interior Ministry. In February, two U.S. tourists were kidnapped briefly in the Sinai region, CNN said. In January, 24 Chinese workers and a translator were kidnapped while en route to a military-owned cement factory.