DATE= 11/18/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-222859
TITLE=EGYPT ATTACK (L UPDATE)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: THIS REPORT UPDATES CR 2-222857, NEW INTERIOR
MINISTER, LAST GRAPH OF TEXT ///
INTRO: ONE DAY AFTER THE WORST TERRORIST ATTACK IN EGYPT'S
HISTORY, PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK IS VOWING TO IMPLEMENT TOUGH NEW
SECURITY MEASURES AROUND THE COUNTRY'S MAIN TOURIST SITES.
V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN CAIRO REPORTS EGYPT'S MOST POWERERFUL
ISLAMIST EXTREMIST GROUP IS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
ATTACK MONDAY IN LUXOR THAT LEFT NEARLY 60 FOREIGN TOURISTS DEAD.
TEXT: THE CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY CAME FROM THE OUTLAWED ISLAMIC
GROUP, IN A STATEMENT FAXED TO WESTERN NEWS AGENCY OFFICES HERE
TUESDAY.
THE GROUP SAYS 15 OF ITS MILITANTS TOOK PART IN THE LUXOR ATTACK.
THE STATEMENT SAYS THEIR OBJECTIVE WAS TO TAKE A LARGE GROUP OF
TOURISTS HOSTAGE, IN A BID TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF THE GROUP'S
SPIRITUAL LEADER, THE BLIND EGYPTIAN CLERIC SHEIKH OMAR
ABDERRAHMAN, WHO IS SERVING A LIFE PRISON SENTENCE IN THE UNITED
STATES FOR HIS PART IN THE 1993 BOMBING OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
IN NEW YORK.
TUESDAY'S STATEMENT BLAMED WHAT IT DESCRIBED AS THE RASH BEHAVIOR
OF THE SECURITY FORCES FOR THE HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE IN MONDAY'S
INCIDENT.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE STATEMENT,
NOR OF AN EARLIER COMMUNIQUE FROM AN ORGANIZATION CALLED
VANGUARDS OF THE CONQUEST WHICH ALSO APPEARED TO CLAIM
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LUXOR ATTACK.
BUT CAIRO NEWSPAPER REPORTS SAY POLICE HAVE TENTATIVELY
IDENTIFIED TWO OF THE SLAIN TERRORISTS AS LEADERS OF THE ISLAMIC
GROUP.
EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS SAY ALL SIX MEN WHO TOOK PART IN THE ATTACK
WERE KILLED IN GUNBATTLES WITH SECURITY FORCES.
PRESIDENT MUBARAK DENOUNCED THE TERRORISTS AS CRIMINALS AND
KILLERS WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAM OR ANY OTHER RELIGION.
THE EGYPTIAN LEADER FLEW TO LUXOR EARLY TUESDAY, AND WAS TAKEN
STRAIGHT TO THE FAMED TEMPLE OF QUEEN HATSHEPSUT, THE SCENE OF
MONDAY'S CARNAGE.
EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS NOW SAY A TOTAL OF 58 FOREIGNERS WERE KILLED,
AMONG THEM SWISS, GERMAN, JAPANESE, BRITISH. AND FRENCH CITIZENS.
TWENTY-FIVE PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM TOURISTS, WERE WOUNDED IN THE
ATTACK.
OFFICIALS SAY THE TERRORISTS MUTILATED MANY OF THEIR VICTIMS, AND
SOME OF THE DEAD HAVE NOT YET BEEN IDENTIFIED.
DURING HIS BRIEF VISIT TO LUXOR, PRESIDENT MUBARAK VOICED DEEP
REGRET OVER THE LOSS OF LIFE. HE WAS ALSO CRITICAL OF WHAT HE
TERMED GAPS IN SECURITY MEASURES AROUND THE TOWN'S PRINCIPLE
TOURIST SITES.
THE EGYPTIAN LEADER TOLD REPORTERS HE HAS ORDERED TOUGH NEW
PRECAUTIONS, TO GO INTO EFFECT WITHIN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
LATE TUESDAY, THE LUXOR ATTACK CLAIMED ITS FIRST POLITICAL
CASUALITY. MR. MUBARAK FIRED HIS INTERIOR MINISTER, HASSAN
AL-ALFI, REPLACING HIM WITH ANOTHER SENIOR POLICE OFFICER (HABIB
AL-ADLI). (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/JWH/EH
18-Nov-97 11:47 AM EST (1647 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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