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April 24, 2006

Egypt: Triple Bombing By Suspected Islamists Kills 24

News comes today of a tripe-bomb attack at Dahab, a Red Sea coastal resort in Egypt, 40 miles north along the same stretch of coast as Sharm el-Shaikh, where on July 23 last year 88 people were killed in a multiple bombing. That incident had the highest casualties of any other terrorist attack.

The first Dahab blast happened after 7.15 pm local time in a market area near hotels, followed two more in quick succession. The latest reports as published in the Malaysia Sun indicated that the death toll is now over a hundred, though the Egyptian authorities claim the number is 90. This figure now appears to be an error, and the actual figure appears to be below 30 for deaths. The news is reported by Reuters, the New York Times, the BBC, the Times and the Malaysia Sun.

Tonight Egypt sealed its borders with Israel, to prevent any potential suspects fleeing there. Initial reports indicate that the bombings were different to the Sharm el-Sheikh attacks, in that they were created by hidden bombs detonated remotely, rather than suicide attacks. The bombs were set off in the resort village of Dahab, popular amongst Israelis for diving and other pursuits, in the el-Masbat district of the city. Twenty ambulances and police rescue vehicles were on the scene. One of the attacks took place at the el-Khaleeg Hotel, and the Hilton Hotel is said to be damaged. Body parts were strewn in the street. Eye-witnesses said they saw a cloud of smoke coming from the bazaar.

An eyewitness told Sky News: "We heard the explosion and a very big white cloud in the sky...it was a sort of firework in the air. A few minutes later there were a lot of police cars, ambulances and half-trucks carrying wounded people. They were white bodies. Some were being wrapped in bedsheets and blankets. I would say I have seen approximately 15 to 20 dead bodies passing by."

US President, George W. Bush said in a speech, addressing the perpetrators: "We will bring you to justice, for the sake of peace and humanity."

Ironically, on Thursday (20 April), the Egyptian government had announced that it had arrested 22 Islamic militants, who had been plotting attacks on tourist sites in the region, states the New York Post. According to the Interior ministry the 22 detained were members of a group calling itself the Victorious Group. "Information, documents and interviews.....confirmed that they were studying carrying out terrorist operations against tourist targets, the gas pipeline on the Greater Cairo ring road and some sensitive sites through bombings," the statement claimed. "They were also studying targeting some Muslim and Christian religious figures and....what they called degenerate youth in tourist areas."

The group was led by a 26-year-old humanities student named Ahmed Mohamed Ali Gab, and had gained its information on explosives from downloads on the internet. The statement did not report if the group had succeeded in making any bombs.

We will update as more news arrives.

UPDATE: Tuesday 25 April. The figures for deaths, according to AKI are now down to 23. It appears the Malaysia Sun might have confused deaths and casualty figures. AKI announces today that eight people were arrested earlier today in Egypt, from the source Al Jazeera. Most of the dead were Egyptians, but foreign tourists were among the injured.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at April 24, 2006 4:49 PM

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