judicial authority (the Department of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary) are investigating with a view to handing down legal judgements. In this connection, the Committee has been provided with detailed information regarding the Egyptian legal system and on court judgements imposing penalties, awarding compensation or ordering a search of places of detention. 206. From the observations submitted by the Government it appears that, generally, Egypt has a legal and judicial infrastructure that should enable the State party to combat the phenomenon of torture in an effective way. However, it also appears that judicial remedies are often a slow process leading to the impunity of the perpetrators of torture. In addition, the Committee was unable to find in the replies and comments submitted by the Government, information that would have dissipated one of its most serious concerns, namely the role of State Security Intelligence with regard to the practice of torture in Egypt. 207. The Committee takes note of the fact that most of the allegations of torture received from non-governmental organizations are directed against members of State Security Intelligence and are consistent in describing the methods applied by them; it also takes note of the fact that the Government of Egypt categorically denies any involvement of State Security Intelligence in acts of torture or ill-treatment or even in the detention and interrogation of arrested persons and, as indicated by the Government, notes with concern that no investigation has ever been made and no legal action been brought against members of State Security Intelligence since the entry into force of the Convention for Egypt in June 1987. 208. Furthermore, the Committee is seriously concerned by the fact that the information received from non-governmental sources consistently describes State Security Intelligence premises and military camps of the Central Security Forces as places where torture allegedly occurs. The same sources report that since these places are not included in one of the categories of places of detention specified in the Organization of Prisons Act, they are not subject to inspections and investigations concerning allegations of torture. 209. The Government points out that the task of State Security Intelligence is one of collecting information and carrying out investigations. The Government states, in this connection, that State Security premises are administrative buildings and that Central Security camps are military installations and, that, therefore these places are not among those where people may be detained. However, the Government also indicates that if a report or a complaint is received regarding any form of violation of a citizen’s rights, or the illtreatment of a citizen, the Department of Public Prosecutions may take all the legal measures required to investigate the complaint including by inspecting those places and that security personnel committing a criminal act are accountable to the courts. 210. According to the Government, most of the allegations concerning torture in Egypt relate to individuals who have been accused or convicted of acts of terrorism. Those persons, or individuals or non-governmental organizations speaking on their behalf, have made allegations concerning their subjection to torture in order to prevent their conviction. 211. The Committee is mindful of the fact that it is the responsibility of the Government of Egypt to combat terrorism in order to maintain law and order and it deplores and condemns unequivocally any act of violence and terrorism perpetrated by groups trying to destabilize the Egyptian institutions. The Committee wishes to point out, however, that under article 2, paragraph 2, of -34-