An American citizen who had been detained for violating the Egypt's curfew has apparently committed suicide in his jail cell, an Egyptian security source said Sunday.
James Henry Lunn, a 66-year-old retired American military serviceman, was found dead in his jail cell in a prison in the city of Ismaliya, according to Security Director of Ismaliya General Mohammed el Anani.
Officials said they discovered the body hanging after the came to deliver breakfast and it appeared that Lunn had hung himself with either his belt or his shoelaces. The body was transported to a nearby hospital for autopsy, the officials said.
Lunn was first detained on Aug. 28 in Northern Sinai for violating the country's dusk-to-dawn curfew. His detention had been extended by 30 days on Saturday for further investigation.
The State Department said it was first informed of Lunn's case on Aug. 28, a day after his arrest, and had been in regular contact with him and with Egyptian authorities.
In September, a Frenchman accused of breaking the curfew was beaten to death by fellow detainees in Cairo, security sources told Reuters.
NBC's Simon Moya-Smith and Reuters contributed to this report.
