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Tourists hit by Cairo bomb blast Tourists hit by Cairo bomb blast
(40 minutes later)
A bomb explosion in Cairo has killed at least one person and injured 17 others, mostly foreign tourists, police say. A bomb explosion in Cairo has killed a French tourist and injured about 17 other people, mostly foreign tourists.
The dead person was identified as a French tourist. An unconfirmed report from Reuters news agency said there were four dead, two of them foreigners. It happened at an open-air cafe packed with tourists in the historic Khan al-Khalili area - a major attraction and home to a prominent mosque.
The blast happened outside a cafe packed with French tourists in the historic Khan al-Khalili area. The device, most likely home-made, was thrown from a balcony, police say. Initial reports had suggested it had been lobbed from a motorbike.
The explosion was relatively small, most likely caused by a home-made explosive device, police believe. There has been no indication so far of who is behind the attack.
'Devastating effect''Devastating effect'
The device was thrown from a balcony onto a crowd of people sitting outside the cafe below, police say. Those injured in the "relatively small" blast included 10 French nationals, four Germans and three Egyptians, according to police.
Initial reports suggested it had been thrown from a motorbike. The French foreign ministry confirmed the death of one of its citizens, without giving any details of the victim.
Those injured in the blast included 10 French nationals, four Germans and three Egyptians, police said. The ministry said eight French nationals were injured in the attack.
The explosion happened near the Hussein mosque and a well-known bazaar.The explosion happened near the Hussein mosque and a well-known bazaar.
This is a very crowded area with tiny streets, which is why even a small blast would appear to have had such a devastating effect, our correspondent says.This is a very crowded area with tiny streets, which is why even a small blast would appear to have had such a devastating effect, our correspondent says.
The area has now been sealed off as bomb disposal experts were sent in to defuse a second device which failed to explode.The area has now been sealed off as bomb disposal experts were sent in to defuse a second device which failed to explode.
Reports say a second explosion was heard shortly afterwards. 'Plenty of enemies'
"I was praying and there was a big boom and people started panicking and rushing out of the mosque, then police came and sealed the main door, evacuating us out of the back," Mohammed Abdel Azim, who was inside the mosque, told the AP news agency. "The blast was so powerful that the earth shook underneath us," an eyewitness told Egypt's Nile News TV.
No cars are allowed into the area but motorbikes can get around the barriers, our correspondent says. EGYPT ATTACKS April 2006: Bombs at Dahab, on the Red Sea, kill at least 23April 2005: Bombing at Khan al-Khalili kills three people, including Frenchman and American July 2005: At least 88 people die in bomb attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red SeaMarch 2005: Hungarian couple stabbed while kissing near Khan al-KhaliliOct 2004: Bombs at Red Sea resorts of Taba and Nuweiba kill at least 34 people1997: Gunmen fire on tourists in Cairo and in Luxor, killing 68 EGYPT ATTACKS April 2006: Bombs at Dahab, on the Red Sea, kill at least 23April 2005: Bombing at Khan al-Khalili kills three people, including Frenchman and American July 2005: At least 88 people die in bomb attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh, on the Red SeaMarch 2005: Hungarian couple stabbed while kissing near Khan al-KhaliliOct 2004: Bombs at Red Sea resorts of Taba and Nuweiba kill at least 34 people1997: Gunmen fire on tourists in Cairo and in Luxor, killing 68
So far no-one has claimed responsibility for the blast. "We all lay down on the ground. Blood was streaming from the back of one of the people running away from the blast. I even saw a separated hand and an arm. Just shredded human flesh," the witness said.
The area was targeted in 2005, when three people - including an American and a French tourists - were killed in a blast. No cars are allowed into the area but motorbikes can get around the barriers, our correspondent says.
Sunday's explosion would be of a huge concern to Egypt's security services, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Cairo says. The Khan al-Khalili area was targeted in 2005, when three people - including an American and a French tourist - were killed in a blast.
Sunday's explosion would be of huge concern to Egypt's security services, the BBC's Christian Fraser in Cairo says.
These are tense times for the Egyptian government, our correspondent says.These are tense times for the Egyptian government, our correspondent says.
He adds that the government has been criticised for its stance over over a recent conflict in Gaza and has many enemies. He adds that the government has been criticised for its stance over the recent conflict in Gaza and has many enemies.
Are you in Cairo? Did you witness the explosion? Send us your comments:Are you in Cairo? Did you witness the explosion? Send us your comments:
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