Gunmen abducted an American tourist Thursday in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, a security official said, DPA reported.
"The kidnappers have relatives in prisons and want them to be released in exchange for the US tourist," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Police was negotiating with tribal chiefs in Sinai to secure his release, the official added.
The incident is the latest in the area, which has in recent months seen a series of kidnappings carried out by tribesmen demanding the release of detained relatives.
All the abductees were released unharmed.
The remote desert peninsula has suffered from major security problems since president Hosny Mubarak was toppled in February 2011.