CAIRO (AP) — Security officials say that the Egyptian man who stabbed to death three tourists and wounded three others earlier this month in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, was tasked by the Islamic State group to carry out the attack.

The officials said Sunday that investigations revealed that 29-year old Abdel-Rahman Shaaban had communicated with two leaders in the group. They added that he was asked to carry out the attack to prove his allegiance to the group.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Shaaban, who killed two German women and a Czech woman and wounded two Armenians and a Ukrainian, was arrested shortly after he was chased by hotel workers and security guards who handed him over to the police.