This looks like another Sharm-el-Sheikh bombing and the other that preceded it, right along the Israeli border a few years back. They also lost a 737 in the Red Sea under circumstances that have never been explained fully. In each case, you have a combination of western tourists, Israeli citizens and Mubarak's economy and prestige. Throw in some choice anniversaries and this place is almost a target waiting to blow. R
"Kuperberg, Benjamin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Key Points: (Sorry if some of this information has already been brought to light; I haven't had a chance to go through all of the articles.) -Initial reports indicated that the bombs were remote-controlled, now Egyptian officials are stating that at least 2 of the 3 bombs were suicide bombs. -All three bombs went off within a 10 second span, according to witnesses. -The bombings struck on the holiday of Sham el-Nessim, which marks the beginning of spring. It was also 1 day before Sinai Liberation Day, which marks Israel's 1982 withdrawal from the Sinai. 'Suicide bombers' in Egypt blasts http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/suicide-bombers-in-egypt-blasts/2006/04/25/ 1145861316035.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 At least two of the three deadly blasts that ripped through the Egyptian tourist resort of Dahab were caused by suicide bombers, security sources said today. "There were at least two suicide bombers involved in the attacks," an official said on condition of anonymity. At least 23 people died in the triple bombings in the Red Sea town of Dahab yesterday - the third such attack to strike tourist resorts in the Sinai peninsula in 18 months, according to the interior ministry. Egyptian state television had initially ruled out suicide bombings and said the explosions were caused by remotely detonated devices. Two Australian women injured when bombs ripped through Egypt's Red Sea resort of Dahab are being evacuated by the Egyptian air force to the capital. The women, a 27-year-old from NSW and a 36-year-old from Victoria, will be assessed on arrival in Cairo, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) said today. Australian consular officials will be there to meet the women. An official, who is en route to Dahab to help any other Australians caught up in the blasts, has already made contact with one of the women. No details were immediately available about their injuries. Consular officials in Canberra have made contact with the family of one of the women. They are still trying to contact relatives of the other. DFAT has warned Australians to avoid tourist destinations in Egypt as intelligence suggests terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners. Earlier, tourists told of pandemonium in the streets after three bombs exploded within seconds of each other in the popular backpacking district, killing at least 23 people and injuring scores more. The interior ministry said 20 Egyptians and three foreigners, including a German baby, were among the dead. Security officials earlier said a Swiss national and a Russian were among the victims of the near simultaneous bombings at the Red Sea resort of Dahab, the third such attack to hit resorts on the Sinai peninsula in 18 months. The interior ministry said the blasts ripped through the Ghazala supermarket and the Nelson and Aladdin restaurants in central Dahab, which lies on the south-east of the peninsula about 530km by road from Cairo. State television said the blasts appeared to have been the result of remote controlled bombs, not suicide bombers. An Australian also told of his escape from the blasts while eating in a restaurant two doors away. "I saw people without heads, without legs, without nothing [taken] to the hospital," said Joseph Pouitou, a 24-year-old Israeli backpacker who was just 20 metres from the blast. "I was in Israel 24 years [and] I never saw a big bomb like this. I see 20 people die - bodies on the ground," Mr Pouitou told smh.com.au. "I never come back here [to Egypt] again. What I see here today, enough for me all my life. A lot of people get hurt, a lot of European people and Americans get hurt here. I saw a couple tourists die. All the people get panic and don't know what to do." Another backpacker, South African Stephen Murphy, was in his hotel room when he heard the explosions. "The first explosion went off and then maybe about five seconds later the second one and then about another two seconds later a third one went off," the 35-year-old from Johannesburg said. "I knew that it was very close and my eyes were closed throughout the explosion because it was really loud. It felt like it was right outside the door." He thought the bangs must have been exploding gas bottles at nearby restaurants but when he looked outside he could see tourists running away from two plumes of smoke. "There were people screaming and running away from the promenade which is where all the restaurants are. I just grabbed my bag, opened the door and I could see the two plumes of smoke from two of the explosions." "People were just screaming. There were people crying. Some people had blood stained on their clothes." "I was actually quite worried because it was just pandemonium. The Egyptians were screaming at each other as well and that just made people panic as well." He vowed to stay in Egypt as a protest against the terrorists. "I think terrorists want people to leave and I don't think I'm going to be going anywhere." No one immediately claimed credit for the attacks, which came one day after a new audiotape of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden surfaced accusing the "crusaders" of the West of waging war against Islam, referring to the conflict in Darfur and the isolation of the Hamas-led Palestinian government. Medical staff at Dahab hospital were in the process of identifying more of the victims before sending them to the nearest morgue in Sharm el-Sheikh at the tip of the Sinai. "There was blood everywhere but the victims were evacuated very quickly," said Cecile Casey, a young French tourist who was spending a few days in Dahab. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak pledged the perpetrators of the "wicked terrorist act" would be punished, while world leaders united in condemning the bombings, with US President George W Bush branding them a "heinous act". Israeli prime minister-designate Ehud Olmert also sent his condolences to Mubarak and his office said the two leaders discussed "the need for cooperation between the two countries in the fight against international terrorism". Dahab, which means gold in Arabic, is popular with western backpackers, budget Israeli tourists and was also packed with Egyptians enjoying a public holiday. It is renowned for its diving, snorkelling and windsurfing. The bombings struck on Sham el-Nessim, a traditional holiday which marks the beginning of spring, and a day before Sinai Liberation Day which celebrates Israel's withdrawal from the peninsula in 1982. Liz Cush, of Sydney, told smh.com.au she was in Dahab on an Easter break from teaching English at a school in Cairo. The 27-year-old from Newtown was eating with friends in a restaurant when she heard a chain of "massive explosions''. "We were 150 metres away when the bombs went off at a restaurant just around the corner,'' she said. "There were three explosions - we could see everyone running, not even screaming. "They were massive explosions - I only heard two, I don't know why, but they came one after another, all very close together. "I didn't really know what was happening - I started to hide behind a chair. "I stayed in the restaurant for a couple of minutes and then we went out the back of the restaurant and then out the back of town in a desert area.'' She said she and her friends stayed out on the outskirts of Dahab for an hour before venturing back into town. "I went back and walked through town - there was blood on the ground and glass and rubble everywhere,'' she said. "Someone who works in a dive shop said police had arrested all the Egyptian people who worked there. "It's like in Sharm el-Sheikh - all the Egyptian people are being treated as suspects.'' "It's really quiet here now, it's empty - the locals are really shocked and the tourists are all on their hotels.'' [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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