Anyone who would try to mar celebrations of the New Suez Canal will be severely punished, the assistant interior minister for central security forces said.

In statements to MENA while inspecting security arrangements in Ismailia, Medhat Shenawy said Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar is closely following up the implementation of a security plan for the historic event in coordination with the Armed Forces.

He noted that wide-scale security campaigns started in the beginning of July against criminal hotbeds across the country.

Since the start of August, the final stage of the security plan was launched as security was tightened on all terminals of Sinai Peninsula to prevent extremists from getting in or out the canal cities, he said.

More than 40 fixed and mobile security patrols were installed on Cairo-Ismailia road for securing delegations due to attend the Suez Canal inauguration.

He said the security plan is not confined to canal cities, it, however, includes all country cities.

All vital facilities, including the parliament, the Cabinet, the Central Bank of Egypt and main power and water stations, were safeguarded, he said.

He noted that there is a plan to further improve security across the country in the coming period, noting that people started to feel improvement in security conditions.