DATE=6/28/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234686 TITLE=EGYPT / POLICE (L ONLY) CQ BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A COURT IN EGYPT HAS ORDERED THE DISMISSAL OF TWO SENIOR POLICE OFFICERS FOR NEGLIGENCE THAT FAILED TO PREVENT TERRORISTS FROM KILLING ALMOST 60 TOURISTS IN AN ATTACK LAST YEAR. RICHARD ENGEL IN CAIRO REPORTS THE DISMISSALS ARE PART OF A SHAKE UP IN THE INTERIOR MINISTRY THAT FOLLOWED THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN THE SOUTHERN CITY, LUXOR. TEXT: AN EGYPTIAN JUDGE ORDERED THE DISMISSAL OF LUXOR'S FORMER POLICE CHIEF, MAJOR-GENERAL METHAT AL SHANAWANI, AND HIS DEPUTY, MAJOR-GENERAL YOUSSIF ABU-ATTA. THE JUDGE RULED THE OFFICERS IGNORED SECURITY WARNINGS THAT ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES FREQUENTED BY TOURISTS IN SOUTHERN EGYPT COULD BE TARGETED BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS. THE JUDGE ALSO CANCELED THE OFFICER'S RETIREMENT BONUSES AND REDUCED THEIR PENSIONS. LAST NOVEMBER, ISLAMIC MILITANTS MASSACRED 58 TOURISTS WHO WERE VISITING AN ANCIENT TEMPLE IN LUXOR. SOME MILITANTS HOPE THAT BY ATTACKING TOURISTS THEY CAN DESTABILIZE THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT AND IMPOSE A STRICT ISLAMIC STATE. TOURISM IN EGYPT HAS SUFFERED SINCE THE ATTACK. THE MASSACRE SHOCKED MUCH OF THE WORLD AND ENRAGED EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS BECAUSE EGYPT WAS JUST COMING OUT OF A SLUMP IN TOURISM CAUSED BY AN EARLIER ATTACK ON GREEK TOURISTS IN 1996. PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK FLEW TO LUXOR AFTER THE ATTACK AND CALLED THE SECURITY AT THE TOURIST SITE A JOKE. HE PUBLICLY REBUKED THE INTERIOR MINISTER (HASSAN AL ALFI) WHO RETIRED THE SAME DAY. PRESIDENT MUBARAK APPOINTED THE THEN HEAD OF STATE SECURITY, AN ELITE UNDER-COVER INVESTIGATIVE BODY, AS THE NEW INTERIOR MINISTER. AFTER TAKING OFFICE, INTERIOR MINISTER HABIB AL ADLY ANNOUNCED A MAJOR SHAKE UP OF THE POLICE. HE DISMISSED MANY TOP GENERALS AND ORDERED THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LUXOR MASSACRE TO BE TRIED IN COURT SINCE THEN, THE MINISTER HAS WORKED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE, RELATIONS WHICH HAVE OFTEN BEEN STRAINED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S HEAVY-HANDED COUNTER-TERRORISM TACTICS. MR. AL ADLY EVEN CHANGED THE EGYPTIAN POLICE MOTTO TO EMPHASIZE THIS POLICY. THE NEW MOTTO IS -- THE PEOPLE AND POLICE IN THE SERVICE OF THE NATION. (SIGNED) NEB/RHE/SB/JWH/RAE 28-Jun-98 11:32 AM EDT (1532 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
