CAIRO: A former Egyptian lawmaker’s sons were briefly detained Sunday on charges of illegally digging for artifacts in the ancient city of Luxor in the latest scandal involving an ultraconservative Islamist. Two sons of Gaber Abdel-Monem Ali (aka Gaber Gahlan), were arrested and then released, antiquities officials said.

Neighbors notified police when they heard drilling coming from inside the home owned by Gahlan, who resides in another governorate. The officials said police found four men digging inside.

The officials said the lawmaker’s sons face charges of illegally digging in the artifact-rich area of Al-Karnak in the city of Luxor.

Antiquities theft is a persistent problem for Egypt, which is rich in ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman artifacts. The problem has intensified since last year’s uprising and the security lapse that has followed.

Gahlan is a member of the ultraconservative Gamaa Islamiya party and was part of the Salafist Nour Party’s coalition before parliament was dissolved. It was at least the third scandal to hit the Nour Party coalition’s members who served in parliament.

The party won 25 percent of seats, making it the second largest group after the Muslim Brotherhood.

Since earlier this year, a former lawmaker, religious scholar Ali Wanees, has been on the run from police after a court found him guilty of public indecency.

Police say they found him fondling a woman in a parked car during the night. Wanees denied the charge before disappearing.

The case is especially embarrassing for Salafists, who advocate the segregation of unrelated men and women. Salafists are known for a no-compromise, literal interpretation of the faith.