After the October 7 bombing of Taba, Egypt't State Security Investigation(SSI) began a campaign of mass arrests in Al-Arish and northern Sinai that continued well into December. Despite an October government statement identifying nine persons-only two of whom were at large-as the person responsible for the attacks, an estimated 2500 persons remain in detention as of early February. For the most part their whereabouts remain unknown and it appears that many have been tortured and ill-treated.