The Egyptians have been cooperating actively with U.S. intelligence, and Hashem's detention is important because it indicates two things. First, the willingness to arrest him shows that the Egyptians are confident that they have Al-Gama'a under control. Second, it exhibits the fact that the Egyptians are reaching a level of clarity about the structure of al Qaeda that was not available before. They would not arrest Hashem on a vague fishing expedition -- but only if they felt that he knew critically important things about al Qaeda.

One of the things he likely has knowledge of is the relationship between the two most important elements in al Qaeda: Egyptian and Saudi members. Hashem worked in Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 1985 and could therefore have information on people and activities there. This is a critically important addition to the intelligence Egypt has gathered about al Qaeda in general and the presence and structure of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia in particular.

Such information also disallows the Saudis plausible deniability. The intelligence that the Egyptians have gathered through this and many other arrests has put the Saudi government in a position wherein Washington would regard failure to act on this information as a refusal to cooperate. The Saudis cannot afford this.