23 July 2005 Sharm al-Shekih Egyptian Resort Bombings
A bombing took place on 23 July 2005 in the resort town of Sharm al-Shekih, this attack was the worst in Egypt since the 1997 attack where 58 foreign tourists and 4 Egyptians were murdered in Luxor. At least 88 people were killed, primiarly Egyptians with at least 8 foreign tourists, 200 were also injured in the bombings with 20 foreigners among them. The attack coincided with the weekend anniversary celebrating the 1952 Egyptian Revolution.
The most devastating attack took place around 1 AM (local time) in the Old Market, a popular tourist area of Sharm al-Sheikh, where a bomber rammed his car into the Ghazala Gardens Hotel. In the vicinty another bomb detonated in a car park at Movenpick Hotel which lies in a popular nightlife area, killing 6. In a subsequent Old Market blast, 17 people were killed at a street cafe. The attacks are believed to be two suicide car bombs and another planted bomb. An unverified claim by a group calling itself Abdullah Azzam Brigades, al-Qaeda, in Syria and Egypt, has claimed responsibility. However another Egyptin group called the Mujahideen (or Holy Warriors of Egypt) has claimed responsibility for both the Sharm al-Shekih bombings and the Taba bombing of October 2004.
Egyptian officials stated on 25 July 2005 that it is believed there is a tie between the man responsible for the car bombing on the Ghazala Gardens Hotel, and the bombing of the resort town of Taba in October 2004, killing 34 people. The Taba bombing was blamed by Egyptian officals on a Palestinian member of an unaffiliated group. More than 70 people have been questioned in relation to the triple bombing since 25 July 2005, with 35 people detained and unconfirmed reports of 6 Pakistani nationals currently being sought. Egyptian police said that among the detained are Bedouins who are being questioned regarding unusual events in the mountains of Sinai.
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