DATE=11/16/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41878
TITLE=LUXOR ANNIVERSARY
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=KUWAIT CITY
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IT HAS BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE A BAND OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS
INVADED ONE OF THE ANCIENT TEMPLES IN LUXOR IN SOUTHERN EGYPT AND
KILLED MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE, MOST OF THEM FOREIGN TOURISTS. THE
ATTACK SHOCKED EGYPTIANS AND DEALT A SEVERE BLOW TO THE COUNTRY'S
TOURISM INDUSTRY, A BLOW FROM WHICH IT IS JUST BEGINNING TO
RECOVER. SINCE THEN, HOWEVER -- AS V-O-A MIDDLE EAST
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS -- THERE HAVE BEEN ALMOST NO
ATTACKS BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS.
TEXT: VIRTUALLY EVERYONE IN EGYPT REMEMBERS THE ATTACK IN LUXOR,
BUT NONE MORE VIVIDLY THAN THE RESIDENTS, WHO HEARD THE SHOOTING
FROM THE ANCIENT TEMPLE, WATCHED THE HELICOPTERS EVACUATE THE
DEAD AND WOUNDED, AND WENT TO HOSPITALS TO DONATE BLOOD FOR THE
VICTIMS.
THEY ALSO REMEMBER THE AFTERMATH: DESERTED HOTELS, NILE
RIVERBOATS MOORED TO THEIR DOCKS, AND THE STRUGGLE OF TAXI
DRIVERS, RESTAURANT WAITERS, AND SOUVENIR HAWKERS TO KEEP THEIR
FAMILIES FED.
THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT VOWED THAT SUCH AN INCIDENT WOULD NEVER
HAPPEN AGAIN. AND, SO FAR IT HASN'T, FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
THE GOVERNMENT CRACKED DOWN ON THE ISLAMIC GROUP, WHICH WAS
BLAMED FOR THE ATTACK. AN ESTIMATED 12-THOUSAND OF THEM AND
THEIR SYMPATHIZERS WERE DETAINED. THE POLICE WERE REORGANIZED
AND RETRAINED WITH HELP FROM THE MILITARY. AND POLICE ESCORTS
WERE ORDERED FOR TOURISTS AND FOREIGN VISITORS.
ANOTHER FACTOR WAS A REPORTED CHANGE-OF-DIRECTION WITHIN THE
ISLAMIC MOVEMENT ITSELF. A RESEARCHER ON THE MOVEMENT WITH
CAIRO'S AL-AHRAM CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES, DIA RASHWAN, SAYS
THE MAIN WING OF THE ISLAMIC GROUP HAS SINCE VOWED TO ABANDON
VIOLENCE.
/// RASHWAN ACT ///
I DON'T THINK THAT EGYPT CAN SEE ANOTHER GREAT ATTACK
SUCH AS LUXOR, BECAUSE THE LARGEST MOVEMENT IN EGYPT,
THE GAMAA ISLAMIYA, HAS ALREADY STOPPED VIOLENCE AND HAD
A CENTRAL DECISION TO STOP. IT.
/// END ACT ///
PROFESSOR RASHWAN SAYS A FEW SMALL VIOLENT GROUPS STILL OPERATE
INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CENTRAL LEADERSHIP. BUT SECURITY OFFICIALS
SAY THESE ARE ON THE RUN OR IN JAIL.
OFFICIALS SAY PUBLIC OPINION TURNED MASSIVELY AGAINST THE
EXTREMISTS. BEFORE THE LUXOR ATTACK, MANY PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN
EGYPT SYMPATHIZED WITH ISLAMIST MILITANTS AND THEIR STRUGGLE
AGAINST CORRUPTION, IMMORALITY, AND GOVERNMENT NEGLECT.
AFTER THE ATTACK, HOWEVER, RESIDENTS HELPED SECURITY FORCES TRACK
DOWN SUSPECTED MILITANTS. AND MANY BEGAN TO HELP POLICE, WATCH
FOR STRANGERS OR SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS IN THEIR TOWNS.
AT THE SAME TIME, LEADERS OF THE ISLAMIC GROUP BEGAN TO ISSUE
CALLS TO ABANDON VIOLENCE.
/// OPT /// SHEIKH ABDEL RAHMAN AMIRA IS AN ISLAMIST
ASSOCIATED WITH THE ISLAMIC GROUP AND A PROFESSOR AT CAIRO'S
PRESTIGIOUS AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY OF ISLAMIC STUDIES.
/// OPT /// SHEIKH AMIRA SAYS THERE IS NO LONGER A NEED FOR
VIOLENT STRUGGLE IN EGYPT, BECAUSE HE SAYS EGYPT IS AN ISLAMIC
STATE WHOSE CONSTITUTION IS BASED ON ISLAMIC LAW (SHARIA) AND
WHOSE PEOPLE FOLLOW ISLAMIC TEACHINGS.
/// OPT // AMLRA ACT - IN ARABIC - FADE UNDER ///
/// OPT /// SHEIKH AMIRA SAYS POLITICAL ISLAM, AS A MOVEMENT,
WILL NEVER END BUT HE SAYS EXTREMISM AND TERRORISM DO NOT
BELONG IN ISLAMIC POLITICS, BECAUSE HE SAYS ISLAM IS A CALL TO
PEACE AND WHAT THE TERRORISTS OR EXTREMISTS DO IS AGAINST ISLAM.
/// END OPT ///
OBSERVERS SAY THE FIRST CALL AGAINST VIOLENCE CAME FROM WHAT ARE
CALLED THE TRADITIONAL LEADERS OF THE ISLAMIC GROUP, MOST OF WHOM
ARE IN PRISON IN EGYPT. THEY SAY THE CALL HAS BEEN ECHOED BY THE
EXILED LEADERS OF THE GROUP WHO ARE BASED IN EUROPE AND THE
UNITED STATES.
HOWEVER, OBSERVERS NOTE THAT LEADERS OF THE GROUP BASED IN
CENTRAL ASIA, PRIMARILY IN AFGHANISTAN, APPEAR TO HAVE REJECTED
THE CALL. THEY SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THESE LEADERS MAY HAVE DECIDED
TO HALT ATTACKS IN EGYPT AND OTHER ISLAMIC NATIONS, THEY APPEAR
TO HAVE TURNED THEIR ANGER ON ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES.
OBSERVERS SAY THIS GROUP MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THE ATTACKS ON
THE U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
SECURITY OFFICIALS SAY AS A RESULT, ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A TRUCE
IN EGYPT, DEADLIER ATTACKS MAY BE PLANNED ABROAD. AND ALTHOUGH
THEY DO NOT EXPECT ANOTHER INCIDENT IN LUXOR, THEY SAY
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION MUST BE STRENGTHENED IN ORDER TO FIGHT
WHAT THEY SEE AS THE LATEST MANIFESTATION OF THE DISEASE OF
TERRORISM. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/JWH
16-Nov-98 2:22 PM EST (1922 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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