Tourists have been targeted by Islamic extremists in Egypt

Some have been held for several years.

Among the detainees are Islamists accused of carrying out a gun attack on a group of Greek tourists near the pyramids.

Others are accused of killing policemen or robbing banks in Middle and Upper Egypt as part of a violent campaign involving the group Jamaa Islamiyya.

The order comes three days after President Mubarak ordered 80 more people to go before a military court, where they have no right of appeal.

Security officials say that the 80, all of whom were arrested in recent weeks, belonged to a sleeper cell that was being set up in Egypt by al-Qaeda, the network loyal to Osama Bin Laden.

Support for campaign

In an interview with Israeli television on Monday, Mr Mubarak denied they were linked to al-Qaeda, but he did say, without further clarification, that they were supported from abroad.

Whatever the case, the Egyptian Government, which has signed up to US President George Bush's campaign against global terrorism, seems suddenly anxious to clear up all untried cases involving Islamist detainees.