April 8, 2005

Apparent suicide bombing near al-Azhar mosque

Visitors to popular tourist spots are warned to avoid large groups, the US Embassy in Cairo said in a statement issued today. A bomb blast yesterday in a Cairo bazaar killed 3 and injured 18. Police are still investigating the cause of the blast which appears to be the work of a single individual.

Egyptian Minister of Tourism, Ahmed al-Maghrabi, in an effort to calm the public told reporters, "people should not be scared away from this country." The explosion killed an American tourist, a French woman and the person who was probably the bomber.

The explosion occurred at al-Moski bazaar near the al-Azhar mosque, a popular tourist destination. The bomb was packed with nails, obliterating the person who detonated it. 9 people remain hospitalized, and nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Sources